Barcelona Maintain Contact with Rashford Amid United's Salary Debate

Barcelona have not walked away from Marcus Rashford. Far from it.

The Catalan club remain in contact with the forward’s representatives as they continue to reshape their attack and test the limits of Manchester United’s resolve over their highest-paid player, TEAMtalk understands.

Rashford is back at Old Trafford this summer, pulling on United colours for the first time in 18 months. Barcelona chose not to trigger their €30million (£26m/$35m) option to buy after his loan spell, despite a campaign that brought 28 goal contributions in all competitions.

They had always liked the idea of another loan. United did not. With two years left on his contract, the Premier League side made it clear they would only entertain a permanent sale, not another temporary exit.

So Rashford has returned to Carrington as United’s top earner, reintegrated into the first-team picture. Michael Carrick and his staff have brought him back into the group and, as previously reported, are open to using him this season. For now, he is part of the plan.

But the window is still open. And so is the door.

Barcelona’s attack in flux

Since the end of last season, Barcelona’s need for attacking help has only sharpened. Rashford has gone back to England, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have both departed, and Roony Bardghji has been ruled out for the season with injury.

Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi have arrived to freshen up the frontline, yet the rebuild is incomplete. Communication with Rashford’s camp has never fully broken off and remains active as Barcelona keep multiple options alive.

Rashford would be open to a return to Catalunya. That much is clear. The question sits with United: would they even consider another loan, including one with an obligation to buy, after digging their heels in over a permanent deal only months ago? Right now, that answer is uncertain.

Complicating everything is Barcelona’s drawn-out pursuit of Julian Alvarez.

The club are still working on a deal for the Argentinian international, but Atletico Madrid have stood firm behind a blunt message: “not for sale”. There has been no sign of that stance softening, and the stalemate is starting to hem in Barcelona’s options as they map out their attack.

If Atletico refuse to budge, Rashford’s name stays on the table. His situation could move from background noise to front and centre very quickly.

United’s internal debate

For United, the calculation is more nuanced. Rashford is back in the fold, training and preparing as part of Carrick’s squad, and the club are currently willing to carry one of the heaviest wage commitments in the Premier League.

Inside the club, though, there is debate over whether that is sustainable or sensible in the long term, especially if Barcelona – or another heavyweight – eventually put forward a package that makes financial sense.

Other clubs have sounded out Rashford’s camp, but the scale of the salary and overall deal narrows the field. Only a handful of teams can realistically come close to the numbers involved. Barcelona remain one of them.

So the picture is clear but volatile: Rashford is a United player, back in red and in contention. Barcelona, however, have not shut the file.

As the clock ticks on this window, someone will have to decide whether this is a reunion that lasts – or a brief pause before another dramatic twist in Rashford’s career.