Marcus Rashford’s recall before Newcastle speaks volumes about Man Utd transfer

“We have a lot of players [out] so he’s in,” the then-United manager said at the time. “Like I’ve said, every week I choose my players and he was there to be chosen. This time, he is here.”

Having been omitted from the side for allegedly substandard performances in training, Rashford was surprisingly named among the substitutes to face Eddie Howe’s team. However, the choice not to give Rashford any playing time during the fixture said everything about the player’s worrying circumstances at Old Trafford, as he stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

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Shortly after that fixture and with playing time remaining scarce, Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan until the summer of 2025, before making the switch to Spain that summer. The England international has shone during his stint in Spain, scoring 10 goals and registering 13 assists in 37 outings across all competitions this season.

He is now gearing up to take on Newcastle at St James’ Park in the Champions League last-16. Tuesday evening’s encounter will mark the third occasion this season that Rashford has featured on English soil since his summer transfer to Barcelona.

The England striker bagged a brace as Barca defeated Newcastle in the tournament’s league-phase back in September. Barcelona also travelled to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in November, with the Blues emerging 3-0 victors.

The Spanish heavyweights now hold a £26million option to secure Rashford’s signature in the summer and it appears increasingly probable that the club will make his transfer permanent.

Spanish outlet SPORT has previously claimed that Barca have achieved a breakthrough in negotiating a salary with the forward, should they finalise an agreement with United.

Speaking in October, Rashford expressed his desire to remain in Spain permanently. “[I want to stay for] as many [seasons] as possible. We will see,” he told TNT Sports. “I have to focus on trying to do my job and trying to help the team in whichever way I can.”

Speaking about his future with ESPN in the same month, he said: “I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player, it is an honour. The main focus is to win football matches, this is why I joined this club, and it’s what the club demands.”

However, his departure from United has always appeared probable since that December 2024 match against the Magpies, with Barcelona now poised to decide whether to make the forward’s move permanent in the summer.

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