MU lost everything when Rashford went to Barcelona

Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan with a £26 million buyout clause.

Just two years ago, Marcus Rashford was considered the “jewel” of Manchester United, with an estimated value of up to 100 million pounds. In the 2022/23 season, the English striker scored 34 goals for both club and country, reaching the peak of his career.

At that time, many people at Old Trafford thought it was the right time to sell Rashford for a huge profit. But instead of "selling at the top", Man United decided to give him a 5-year contract with a salary of 325,000 pounds/week. Two years later, Rashford was pushed out of Old Trafford, in the context of his form and value declining.

Difficult problem for Man United

Sending Rashford on loan to Barcelona this season is not a conscious decision, but a way for United to ease a financial burden. Sure, they will save £12.75m on wages as Barca agree to foot the bill for the 27-year-old’s huge wages, but the failure to collect a transfer fee still makes the deal look like a financial failure.

Barcelona are taking almost no risk: if Rashford fails to adapt, they can simply send him back; if he shines, the option to buy him outright for €30m (around £26m) would be a rare bargain on the market. In either case, United are at a disadvantage: either they have to watch their player resurrect for another club, or they have to sign an asset that is losing value.

This is all the more significant as Rashford enters the season with huge momentum - the 2026 World Cup is just around the corner. A strong showing in Barcelona could not only save his career but cement his place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

Rashford was once pushed to Aston Villa on loan.

Rashford only played six games under Ruben Amorim before being dropped from the team and loaned out to Aston Villa in January 2025. Amorim's toughness shows that he does not accept players who do not fit the 3-4-2-1 philosophy he has built.

But the question is: is Man United too risky to put all their faith in a new coach who has not proven himself much in the Premier League?

Amorim arrived at Old Trafford with the promise of getting the most out of the current squad. However, the decision to drop Rashford and strip him of the No. 10 shirt has seen his value plummet. This has forced the club to spend £133.5m on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to rebuild their attack, while there are still numerous holes in other areas.

“Liquidation storm” and financial pressure

Not only Rashford, Man United are also trying to "free" three other wingers: Garnacho, Sancho and Antony. Alejandro Garnacho was once valued at 70 million pounds, but can now leave Old Trafford for a fee of only about 40 million pounds because the team is forced to meet Amorim's demands.

Sancho - a £73m deal from Dortmund - also has no future and is likely to be sent out on loan. Antony, despite a decent half-season at Real Betis, is still priced too high (£85.5m) for interested clubs. Unless United reduce his price or agree to a buyout clause after the loan, finding a buyer for him will be extremely difficult.

All of these moves show that Man United are betting big on Amorim and his tactical system. Spending too much money on new contracts but still not improving the quality of the squad only increases the pressure on the Portuguese coach.

Rashford's loan deal to Barcelona looks like a risky gamble for Man United.

From Rashford’s perspective, this move is a “life-changing” opportunity. Barcelona – a team that has just won the domestic double and possesses a fiery attacking style of play – could be the ideal environment for him to find inspiration again. At Camp Nou, Rashford will not have to shoulder as much pressure as at Old Trafford, and just one explosive season could completely revive his career.

Meanwhile, Man United are at risk of losing both: not receiving a large transfer fee, losing a player who grew up in the academy and could be criticized if Rashford regains his peak form in a Barca shirt.

Rashford’s loan move to Barcelona was a risky gamble for United, who wanted to make room for Amorim’s plans but were unable to secure a permanent deal as they hoped. Meanwhile, Rashford, motivated by the World Cup and a competitive La Liga environment, has plenty of room to bounce back.

If Rashford shines, the first to be criticized will be none other than the board and coach Amorim, who decided to "liquidate" him too hastily. If he continues to be lackluster, Man United will gain nothing other than salary savings. This is a situation that the "Red Devils" can hardly win.

Source: https://znews.vn/mu-thua-toan-dien-khi-rashford-toi-barcelona-post1570845.html