Marcus Rashford Man United recall before Newcastle game says it all ahead of Barcelona decision
Marcus Rashford moved to Barcelona on loan last summer after falling out of favour with former club boss Ruben Amorim
Marcus Rashford faced a tough spell at Man United under Ruben Amorim(Image: 2025 Image Photo Agency)
The writing was already on the wall for Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United career even after he was recalled to the first team to face Newcastle United in late 2024. The striker only made the matchday squad under Ruben Amorim due to an injury crisis, only to still not feature.
Rashford, 28, joined Barcelona last summer on a season-long loan deal, having been frozen out of the United set-up by former boss Amorim. The ex-Sporting CP manager, who was sacked in January after a disastrous tenure at Old Trafford, brought Rashford back into the fold for United’s final game of the year.
While it was the forward’s first inclusion in five matchday squads, the Portuguese made no secret of the fact that the 28-year-old’s involvement was only down to the sheer number of United players on the treatment table. “We have a lot of players [out] so he’s in,” the then-United boss 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.”
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Having been left out of the team for supposed poor displays in training, Rashford was unexpectedly named on the bench to face Eddie Howe’s side. However, the decision not give him Rashford any minutes during the match spoke volumes about the player’s troubling situation at Old Trafford, as he remained on the sidelines for the entire game.
Shortly after that match and with opportunities continuing to be limited, Rashford moved on loan to Aston Villa until the summer of 2025, he then moved to Spain in the summer. The England international has impressed during his time in Spain, netting 10 goals and claiming 13 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.
Marcus Rashford fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim(Image: PA)
He is now preparing to face Newcastle at St James’ Park in the last-16 of the Champions League. Tuesday evening’s clash will represent the third time this season that Rashford has played on English soil since moving to Barcelona in the summer.
The England forward scored a brace as Barca downed Newcastle in the tournament’s league-phase back in September. Barcelona also faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November, with the Blues running out 3-0 winners.
The Spanish giants now have a £26million option to sign Rashford in the summer and it is increasingly likely that the club will make his move permanent.
Spanish publication SPORT has previously reported that Barca have made a breakthrough in agreeing on a salary with the forward, should they reach an agreement with United.
Marcus Rashford scored both goals for Barcelona against Newcastle United(Image: Getty Images)
Speaking in October, Rashford said he wanted to make his stay in Spain permanent. “[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.”
Discussing 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.”
But his move away from United always seemed likely following that December 2024 match against the Magpies, with Barcelona now set to weigh up whether or not to sign the forward permanently in the summer.
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