MANCHESTER United forward Marcus Rashford has completed a season-long loan transfer to LaLiga club Barcelona.
The 27-year-old England international joins on an initial 12-month loan, with the Spanish giants having the option of signing Rashford on a permanent basis for £30.3m in 2026.
Barcelona will cover the entirety of Rashford’s wages during his time at the club after the forward agreed to take a pay cut.
Removing Rashford from the wage bill is expected to save United between £14-£15m over the next 12 months.
“I want to win the biggest trophies and feel like Barcelona is a huge club in the football world so it is the perfect place,” Rashford, who will wear the No.14 jersey, said today as he was presented by Barcelona.
“You see with the team last season, they have a young ambitious team and I want to add my qualities, my personality, improve the team and help them win.”
“Not difficult. I was clear on my preference from the beginning. Actually from maybe in January. It didn’t work out in January so I went to Aston Villa and enjoyed a good period there. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play there.
“It was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. It’s a family club, something I’m used to from my past. It feels like home. I feel I made the right decision. I’m excited to get going and eager to play the first game in front of the fans. It’s a special moment. I’m ready to get going.”
“The situation with United is the club is in a period of change and they have been for a while. I don’t have anything bad to say as it has been an important part not just of my career but my life. So I was grateful for the opportunity.
“But like life not everything goes as simple as you thought and this is my next chapter and I’m fully focused on improving myself and helping the team win trophies.
“I have nothing bad to say about United. I wish them all the best and hope they are successful in the future.”
Rashford trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Tuesday and is expected to be included in the squad that travels to Japan for a pre-season tour of Asia on Thursday.
The move, Rashford’s second loan spell since last playing for United in December, sees the forward leave the English Premier League for the first time.
Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 matches for Manchester United since making his debut for the club in 2016.
He is 15th on the club’s all-time scorers list, having emerged from United’s academy.
Manager Ruben Amorim dropped him for the Manchester derby on December 15 last year — and he has not played for United since.
Amorim later criticised Rashford for a perceived lack of effort, suggesting that he would rather give a place on the bench to his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach than someone who “doesn’t give the maximum every day”.
He joined Aston Villa on loan in January, making 17 appearances and earning an England recall, but returned to Old Trafford last month with his long-term future still uncertain.