Marcus Rashford is expected to snub Aston Villa to pursue a dream move to Barcelona, and he is willing to take a pay cut to make the deal happen.
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Rashford has heart set on joining Barça£350k per week wages potential stumbling blockUnited want to sell player at £40m valuationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
The Manchester United attacker is believed to have his heart set on a move to Catalonia, as it has become clear that he has no future at Old Trafford with Ruben Amorim in the dugout. Villa have a £40 million ($54m) option to buy when Rashford's loan deal ends, but the 27-year-old would prefer a move overseas.
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Rashford's wages of £350,000 per week could prove a stumbling block for the Catalan giants, as they continue to battle against La Liga's salary cap. A report by suggests Barcelona would be keen on signing the player, but would be unwilling to match the £40m fee agreed with Emery's side. Another loan move with the Red Devils contributing to Rashford's pay is a possibility, but the Old Trafford club would prefer to offload the player permanently this summer to bolster Amorim's transfer kitty ahead of the 2025-26 season.
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Rashford may have played his last game for the Villans. The hamstring injury he picked up in the build-up to Villa's FA Cup semi-final defeat by Crystal Palace will likely keep the attacker on the sidelines for at least the next few weeks. He is ineligible to play against parent club United in Villa's final game of the season.
WHAT NEXT FOR MARCUS RASHFORD?
The mounting speculation over Rashford's future suggests any hope of a reconciliation between player and manager at United is misplaced. Wherever the 27-year-old ends up, many United fans will be sad to see one of their own shepherded out the door.