Marcus Rashford faces uncertainty over his Barcelona future with doubts over his £26m buy option, while Manchester United have already decided to cancel a loan deal
Jake Bayliss Sport Writer – U35s and Neil Docking
07:46, 02 Jan 2026
Marcus Rashford may not be staying at Barcelona
Manchester United are gearing up for a crucial month as the January transfer window swings open.
Ruben Amorim’s squad are vying for European football, but they may need additional firepower to secure their position. After a hugely disappointing draw with Wolves at home, United will be looking to bounce back and make a statement with a win away against bitter rivals Leeds on Sunday.
As the transfer window approached, several high-profile midfielders were linked with a move to the Premier League giants. But Amorim has received an unexpected boost to his squad at the start of the New Year. Here’s all the latest news from Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford uncertainty
(Image: Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford is thriving during his loan spell at Barcelona, but new questions have emerged about whether the England international will stay at the club permanently.
The 28-year-old Manchester United forward has expressed his desire to remain with the Catalan giants beyond this season, reports the Mirror.
The United loanee has been showcasing his skills in Spain, netting seven goals and providing 11 assists in 24 matches. However, Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo reports Rashford is one of three Barcelona players whose future at Camp Nou is uncertain.
Rashford, along with Robert Lewandowski and centre-back Andreas Christensen, forms part of a three-man group whose Barcelona contracts expire this summer.
A fresh doubt has emerged about Marcus Rashford’s future at Barcelona(Image: Ruben De La Rosa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Reports suggest the United striker has received encouraging signals from Barcelona, though it remains uncertain whether his parent club will activate his £26million purchase option.
The Catalan side will allegedly seek to negotiate down the agreed sum, given their widely documented financial difficulties. Sources also indicate Rashford could enhance his pressing game and defensive contributions.
Despite ongoing transfer talk, Rashford posted an upbeat message on social media as he ushered in the New Year. He penned: “As 2025 comes to a close, I’m grateful for a year of change and self reflection. Stepping into 2026 feeling excited, motivated, and ready to be ambitious both in sport and life.”
United make transfer decision
Toby Collyer made 13 appearances for Manchester United last season(Image: Getty Images)
United have announced that midfielder Toby Collyer has been brought back from his loan stint at West Bromwich Albion. The 21-year-old featured in 12 Championship matches before his return to Old Trafford.
Collyer has been out of action since sustaining an injury in November, prompting the early termination of his temporary move. A United statement revealed that the academy product had come back to concentrate on his rehabilitation, whilst also potentially bolstering Amorim’s squad options.
The defensive midfielder made 13 appearances for United last season. Nevertheless, he found himself surprisingly singled out by Amorim recently when the United manager was making a broader observation about some of the club’s academy graduates being fast-tracked to the senior squad too soon.
“He ([Collyer] played [for United],” Amorim said in December. “He’s from the academy. He played here. He went to West Bromwich. He’s not playing. He played for Manchester United. So sometimes it’s not because he’s from the academy or whatever. It’s the situation, what’s happened.”
