Marcus Rashford has reportedly given the green light for a potential move to Real Madrid, where he could reunite with former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. The 28-year-old's comments from 2021 have resurfaced after his loan spell at Barcelona appears to have ended, with the Catalan club opting not to make his move permanent.
Rashford scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists for Barcelona as they won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. However, his performances were deemed insufficient to secure a permanent transfer, with Barcelona instead signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for £70 million. The Spanish champions reportedly cited Rashford's defensive weaknesses and high wages as reasons for passing on the £26 million option to buy.
Rashford has now wiped all references to Barcelona from his social media accounts. His future remains uncertain, with Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich all linked. A return to Old Trafford also appears unlikely, as he has not played for Manchester United since December 2024.
Speaking in 2021, Rashford said of a potential move to Spain: 'I would never say no. Other than United? I'm a big fan of Real Madrid and Barcelona, because they've always had great players and played attractive football.' Mourinho, who managed Rashford at United between 2016 and 2018, is expected to take charge of Real Madrid this summer for a second spell.
