Flying star faces third straight game out for loan club just as United were getting dollar signs in their eyes – report

What a revelation Marcus Rashford has been at Barcelona. The Manchester United outcast has certainly rediscovered his mojo in Spain, becoming an instant hit with the Catalan giants. In 34 appearances for Barça, the Mancunian has registered 10 goals and 13 assists, which is an impressive return for a player many believed had lost his spark. Clearly, Rashford has gone on to establish himself as a key part of Hansi Flick’s project. This is all the more evident given Barcelona’s latest predicament. Currently recovering from a knee injury, Rashford has missed two matches, both of which his loan side have lost. A 4–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid, followed by a 2–1 loss to Girona, has underlined just how much Barca struggle without the United star. When Rashford is expected to return Barcelona will be wishing he were back as soon as possible, but that will not be the case this weekend. According to Fabrizio Romano’s latest update, Rashford is expected to return to action at the earliest next week. That means the 28‑year‑old will miss Barcelona’s clash with Levante UD on Sunday. Flick will be hoping his side rise to the occasion against the relegation battlers, but when Villarreal, currently third and punching above their weight, come calling, he will be desperate to have Rashford available for selection. Transfer fee talk Alongside concerns over Rashford’s fitness, Barcelona are also grappling with the terms of making his loan permanent. Reports suggest United have made it clear they will not accept less than the £26 million fee option to buy. Barcelona had hoped for a discount, but INEOS are unwilling to entertain the idea. In fact, given Rashford’s resurgence, the United decision makers believe he could easily have commanded a fee closer to £50 million this summer. Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.