The future of Marcus Rashford is shrouded in uncertainty as the World Cup approaches, with Barcelona weighing their options regarding the on-loan Manchester United star.

Barcelona currently holds the option to purchase Rashford for £26 million, a clause included in the loan agreement. The club has been covering his full salary, but should Manchester United secure a spot in the Champions League, Rashford’s wages would increase to £315,000 per week next season.

At 28, Rashford has been a pivotal figure for the Catalan giants this season, contributing 12 goals and 13 assists. His efforts have propelled Barcelona to a nine-point lead over rivals Real Madrid in La Liga and helped them reach the Champions League quarter-finals, where they were recently ousted by Atletico Madrid.

This situation leaves the England forward pondering his next career move, even as he prepares to join Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup. The question of which team he’ll represent next season remains unanswered.

Marcus Rashford’s future beyond this season is up in the air with talks set to take place

As the season draws to a close, discussions between the two clubs are expected to intensify. There’s a possibility that Barcelona might propose extending Rashford’s loan for another year.

Meanwhile, Manchester United has several options to consider. They could welcome Rashford back to Old Trafford, where he spent the majority of his career before a loan spell at Aston Villa last season. Alternatively, they might explore offers from other Premier League or European clubs.

However, it seems unlikely that he would be able to resurrect his United career despite Ruben Amorim – the head coach who dumped him into a ‘bomb squad’ last summer – being sacked in January.

United are trying to drive down their wage bill by offloading other top earners like Casemiro and Jadon Sancho, and want to move Rashford’s salary off the books. In keeping with the terms of the players’ contracts at Old Trafford, it dropped by 25 per cent this season after the club failed to qualify for the Champions League.

However, United are on course to rejoin Europe’s elite after reaching third place in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday night’s trip to Chelsea, meaning that Rashford will be on maximum pay again.

Head coach Michel Carrick has helped to revive the United careers of Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, but he was reluctant to be drawn on Rashford’s future when he spoke at Carrington on Friday.

Michael Carrick’s own future beyond the end of the season is yet to be clarified

‘I just think there’s decisions to be made in time, really, on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation,’ said the United boss.

‘But at this point in time, nothing’s been decided. And it will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there’s nothing to say. I think to comment either way this stage is just not the right thing to do, because there’s uncertainties.

‘Certainly from my perspective, whoever’s here, I want to work with, make the best out of, and help them improve. So, at the moment, it’s this squad of players, and there’s obviously players on loan. Whatever happens with that later on will happen.

‘But certainly, as a coach, and as a leader of a squad, we want to get the best out of everyone as much as we possibly can, for sure.’

Ironically, United will be in the market for a player in Rashford’s position this summer after Carrick confirmed last month that a left-sided forward would be among the club’s targets. The club have been linked with Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig.

Asked about it again on Friday, he added: ‘Listen, there’s stages to go through in terms of the summer. There’s decisions to be made, of course there is, but then it’s timing – obviously my situation’s one thing, so it’s just working through that.

‘There’s certainly conversations as we go, because that’s natural, but in terms of what’s going to happen exactly, that’s not something that I’ve committed to recruitment wise.

‘We’ve certainly had conversations and that’s just natural. But I’m not really making a big thing of it, to be honest. I think that’ll happen in time anyway.’