In a new development in Marcus Rashford’s ongoing contract saga, reports from Spanish media suggest that the 28-year-old forward is open to accepting a salary reduction to facilitate a permanent move to Barcelona. However, this potential transfer is becoming increasingly uncertain.

Last week, the Spanish publication Marca revealed that Barcelona plans to part ways with five key players this summer as part of a squad revamp, with Rashford being among those mentioned.

This news follows Barcelona’s disappointing exit from the Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Despite this setback, the team is on track to clinch the La Liga title, possibly as soon as this weekend, depending on upcoming match results.

According to Mundo Deportivo, a Barcelona-based outlet, Rashford remains focused on joining the Catalan giants, even though he is currently contracted with his childhood club Manchester United until 2028, making his future increasingly uncertain.

This season, Rashford has made significant contributions to Barcelona, scoring 13 goals and assisting 11 times across all competitions. Additionally, he has secured two penalties, boasting an impressive rate of one goal involvement every 89 minutes—the highest among players from Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.

Barca are on course to retain their La Liga title as early as this weekend if results go their way – aided in part by Rashford scoring an important goal from the bench against Getafe on Saturday

Rashford has been regularly rotated out of the starting XI this season, but this is not something he considers concerning given that he is competing with a group of eight top attackers

Just a few months ago, a permanent transfer to Barcelona seemed almost certain after a preliminary contract agreement was reportedly reached.

Under the terms of the agreement, the La Liga side have the option to make the move permanent for a pre-agreed fee – around £25 million (€30m) at the end of the season.

In the last week, though, that deal appears to be on the brink of collapsing, with reports stating that Barcelona are looking to lower the loan fee, while Manchester United have no intention of budging on the original price. Part of this is due to his age, as he is due to turn 29 in October.

Such is Rashford’s eagerness to stay at the club, Mundo Deportivo have reported that he is willing to take a ‘significant’ cut to his salary.

The forward signed a £325,000-a-week, five-year contract in July 2023, although he accepted a small drop last summer in order to push through the move to Spain, where the club were prepared to pay his wages in full.

If he were to return to United, he would become the club’s highest earner, with the current top earner, Casemiro, set to depart at the end of the season.

Reducing United’s wage bill has been one of the priorities of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe since he took over, and a return for Rashford would dent progress on this.

The Spanish outlet state that Rashford is ‘confident’ that he will still stay at Barcelona, stating he feels ‘settled and valued in a squad he considers the best in the world’. 

Rashford has also been able to relocate his dog, a Cane Corso called Saint, to Barcelona

The forward also appears to have reconnected with his former fiancee Lucia Loi, with the pair taking in a basketball game in December

He has been regularly rotated out of the starting XI this season, but this is not something he considers concerning given that he is competing with a group of eight top attackers.

Flick values Rashford, even though his decisions and performances in certain matches have raised some doubts, according to the report.

The German manager refused to be drawn on Rashford’s future earlier this month after he scored against Atletico Madrid, saying: ‘I’m very happy with Marcus. He has shown his quality and he scored an important goal.

‘I can’t say anything about his future, we have to focus on the matches until the end of the season.’

Besides enjoying life away from the intensity of the Manchester United spotlight, Rashford appears to have reunited with his childhood sweetheart last year after two years apart.

She regularly posts videos of her enjoying the city and spending time with their dogs, and is said to be a stabilising influence on his life.

Rashford’s upturn in performances at Barca meanwhile has seen him become a fundamental part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, and it now appears highly likely he will be part of the Three Lions squad for this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

Rashford is reported to want his future cleared up before the tournament kicks off on June 11.