Online Reporter
MANCHESTER UNITED have told Barcelona to forget about trying to land Marcus Rashford on the cheap.
The England ace is currently out injured but has impressed since moving to the Nou Camp on loan last summer.
Barca have a £26million option to make the move permanent at the end of the season – which was agreed in July last year.
And his 10 goals as well as 13 assists in 34 appearances have convinced Barcelona that they want the forward there on a full-time basis.
However the financial worries of the Catalan giants are well known and they hope to drive down the figure previously agreed.
United are unwilling to budge, though, and believe the fee is already a reasonable one for a 28-year-old full international.
The club are surprised by stories coming from Spain that they are willing to negotiate a lower fee as this is not the case.
Selling Rashford will save United around £315,000 a week in wages – with other top earners such as Casemiro and Jadon Sancho also set to go.
That should give them more room to manoeuvre in the summer transfer market.
Man Utd are planning to sign a holding midfielder and possibly a new forward.
Rashford is under contract at United until 2028 and a permanent sale remains probable this summer.
Rashford has not played for United since December 2024 and lost his No10 squad number to Matheus Cunha under former manager Ruben Amorim.
Amorim ordered the England international and other out-of-favour team-mates to arrive for training at a separate time to the main first-team squad in pre-season before the forward joined Barcelona in late July.
Meanwhile, Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire is keen to extend his stay at Old Trafford – but he is now wanted by his former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers at Al-Qadsiah.
The England star, 32, is facing an uncertain future because his contract, which is worth close to £200,000-a-week, is set to expire in the summer.
And Maguire, who has to take a pay cut to remain on board, would make more money by leaving United on a free transfer due to signing on fees.
He has yet to receive an offer from the Red Devils, but fresh terms are expected to be put on the table and his preference is to remain at Old Trafford.
United turned down an approach from AC Milan in January and it is understood that Maguire’s former team-mate Scott McTominay is pushing for Napoli to make a move if he is available in the summer.
They were close during their five years together and socialised on pre-season tours.
Maguire joined United from Leicester in 2019 for what is still a world-record £80million fee for a defender.
But the FA Cup and Carabao Cup winner was close to making a move to West Ham after being stripped of the captaincy by then-boss Erik ten Hag in July 2023.
After choosing to stay at Old Trafford, Maguire has become a cult hero among United fans.
He notched a 121st minute winner in the Europa League quarter-final epic against Lyon last season.
And the ex-Hull man nodded in the winner at Liverpool to end United’s ten-match winless run at Anfield in October.
Maguire started his fifth game in a row for the first time this season against West Ham last week.
After becoming a key part of boss Michael Carrick’s plans, he was also the man of the match in United’s 3-2 victory at Arsenal last month.
United will save £625,000-a-week when Casemiro and Jadon Sancho exit at the end of their contracts in June.
But there is still a desire to keep Maguire despite Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah circling.
He would seal a reunion with Rodgers, who he worked under at Leicester, if he joins the title chasers -Sun.
Mathew Masinge