Michael Carrick Leaves Door Open for Marcus Rashford Return From Barcelona Loan

Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick said no decision has been made on the future of forward Marcus Rashford for next season, leaving the door open for a return to Old Trafford even as Rashford remains on a season-long loan at Spanish club Barcelona.

“Marcus Rashford has delivered solid numbers during his loan spell at FC Barcelona so far this season”

Barca Universal

Carrick told reporters, "There's decisions to be made on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation," adding, "But at this point in time, nothing's been decided."

Barca Universal

The decision hinges on whether Barcelona activate their purchase option, with Barcelona having until 15 June to decide whether to trigger their €30m (£26.1m) option to buy Rashford.

Carrick also framed his stance as a coaching approach to the squad, saying, "Whoever's here, I want to work with, and help them improve," and, "At the moment, it's this squad of players."

The uncertainty is sharpened by the fact that Rashford has not played for United since December 2024, and the loan arrangement has been described as a temporary hold rather than a guaranteed permanent move.

Carrick’s comments came ahead of United’s Premier League trip to Chelsea, where victory would take United 10 points clear of Liam Rosenior's side, according to the BBC report.

In the same pre-match context, the BBC noted that Rashford is "likely to be part of Thomas Tuchel's squad for this summer's World Cup," while other outlets described the situation as a post-loan limbo scenario rather than a closed chapter.

The Rashford situation is anchored to a specific buy clause and a specific timetable, with multiple outlets describing the option to buy and the date by which Barcelona must act.

The BBC reported that Barcelona have until 15 June to decide whether to trigger their €30m (£26.1m) option to buy Rashford, while the Guardian similarly described the move as a post-loan limbo shaped by the option to purchase for €30m (£26m).

BBC

The Irish Times added that Rashford could be set for a summer of transfer limbo despite Carrick admitting the door is not completely closed, and it tied the potential return to a wage rise if United qualify for the Champions League.

The Irish Times also stated that Rashford’s salary would reach £325,000 (€373,000) per week on his deal, which runs until 2028, and it emphasized that United would be keen to sell him but few could match his earnings.

The theScore report echoed the same core structure, saying Rashford still has two years left on a lucrative contract that will be subject to a reported 25 percent rise next season if United qualify for the Champions League.

Sky Sports News likewise described the loan deal at the Spotify Camp Nou as including a £26m option to buy clause, and it reported that United will not renegotiate a fee with the Spanish club.

The Daily Mail framed the deadline as expiring on June 15—four days after the World Cup kicks off in North America—while also stating that Barcelona have been paying his salary in full but it will go back up to £315,000-a-week next season if United qualify for the Champions League.

While the Rashford question remains unresolved, United’s immediate match context against Chelsea is being shaped by suspensions and absences that Carrick must manage.

“Marcus Rashford's future is up in the air going into a World Cup summer as Barcelona consider their options of keeping the on-loan Manchester United star”

Daily Mail

The BBC reported that Carrick’s Premier League focus is the trip to Chelsea, but it said the chances have not been helped by suspensions that have ruled out central defensive duo Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez, while Leny Yoro was absent from the group that travelled from Stockport station for the journey south on Friday afternoon.

The BBC added that if Yoro is absent, Carrick could be forced to play either Luke Shaw or Noussair Mazraoui, or even veteran midfielder Casemiro, alongside 19-year-old Ayden Heaven at Stamford Bridge.

The Irish Times described the defensive crisis in more detail, saying Carrick will once again be without Harry Maguire after a further one-match suspension for his behaviour to the fourth official after being sent off at Bournemouth, and it said Lisandro Martinez will also be on the sidelines after his dismissal for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair in the defeat to Leeds.

The Irish Times quoted Carrick saying, "There's not much we can react to," and it also quoted him describing his disappointment: "Massively disappointed, of course."

It further reported that Martinez begins a three-game ban for violent conduct after the VAR sent referee Paul Tierney to the monitor to review the incident, and it quoted Carrick calling the decision "one of the worst I’ve seen."

The Irish Times also stated that Matthijs De Ligt is a long-term absentee and that Leny Yoro is an injury doubt, which could leave Ayden Heaven the only one available.

The reporting diverges on how likely Barcelona are to activate the permanent purchase option and how negotiations might proceed, even as the option’s existence is consistent across outlets.

The BBC described Barcelona’s decision as a matter of whether they will trigger their €30m (£26.1m) option to buy Rashford, and it said the Old Trafford hierarchy is resistant to any attempt to change the terms of the deal.

Football365

The Guardian similarly said the move is becoming increasingly unlikely to be made permanent, describing the option to purchase Rashford for €30m (£26m) and noting that United would not want the gap to close at Stamford Bridge.

The theScore report said it had emerged that Barcelona are unsure about activating a reported £26.1 million ($35.2 million) clause to make the move permanent, and it described Rashford’s future as uncertain ahead of a summer he hopes to spend with England at the World Cup in North America.

The Daily Mail added that Barcelona would like to keep him and had made a failed bid to renegotiate the £26m fee with United who are refusing to budge on the clause which expires on June 15.

Sky Sports News reported that despite Barcelona's indecision over Rashford's option to buy clause, United will not renegotiate a fee with the Spanish club, and it stated that there is no reunion expected to take place at Old Trafford.

Barca Universal reported that Matteo Moretto on Radio MARCA said the chances of Barcelona activating the purchase option of €30 million have cooled down significantly, and Football365 quoted Fabrizio Romano saying, "There is still no green light between Barcelona and Manchester United on the Marcus Rashford situation," while describing United’s position as pay the €30m or Rashford comes back.

The next steps for Rashford are framed as a sequence of decisions tied to Barcelona’s buy option and United’s summer planning, with multiple reports pointing to what happens after the clause deadline.

“Fabrizio Romano has hinted that Marcus Rashford could return to Manchester United following his loan spell at FC Barcelona”

Football365

The BBC said Barcelona have until 15 June to decide whether to trigger the €30m (£26.1m) option, and it described Carrick as a contender to take the job on a full-time basis this summer while his immediate focus is Chelsea.

L'Équipe

The Guardian likewise described a return to Old Trafford as obligating a wage rise if United qualify for the Champions League, and it stated that Rashford’s salary would reach £325,000 per week with the deal running until 2028.

The Irish Times reported that United sit comfortably in third, seven points above Saturday’s opponent Chelsea, but it said United will not want to see the gap close come full time at Stamford Bridge, linking the club’s competitive position to the financial and squad consequences of Rashford’s contract.

Sky Sports News added that there are conversations regarding recruitment and that United are keen to bolster options ahead of a likely return to Europe next season, naming RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye as players United are monitoring.

The Daily Mail described how United are trying to drive down their wage bill by offloading other top earners like Casemiro and Jadon Sancho, and it said Rashford’s salary would drop by 25 per cent this season after United failed to qualify for the Champions League, but would be on maximum pay again if they rejoin Europe’s elite.

L'Équipe reported that FC Barcelona confirmed the loan move with an option to buy from Manchester United, stating that Rashford is on loan for one year, through June 2026, with a purchase option estimated between 30 and 35 million euros, and it said Barcelona announced that Rashford would wear the number 14.