Manchester United are refusing Barcelona’s attempt to sign Marcus Rashford on loan in the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain.
Rashford has just spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Aston Villa after he was frozen out of United’s first team by Ruben Amorim.
Villa, who finished sixth in the Premier League and missed out on a place in next season’s Champions League, have an option to sign the 27-year-old for £40 million.
However, it’s understood that Rashford is looking to join a Champions League club and Barcelona is his preferred destination.
Earlier this week, Rashford’s brother, Dwaine Maynard, held talks with Barcelona’s sporting director Deco at a hotel in the city.
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According to Sport, Barcelona want to sign Rashford on loan and are unwilling to meet United’s €40 million (£33.7m) asking price.
The report claims that United are ‘refusing to negotiate anything other than a permanent transfer’ and are only likely to agree to a loan deal in the closing stages of the summer transfer window when all other opportunities have been explored.
Barcelona are now exploring the possibility of a paid loan which will include an option to buy next year.
Rashford is also willing to take a pay cut on his £350,000-a-week salary with United in order to secure a move to Barcelona, who won all three domestic trophies this season.
Both Deco and Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s head coach, have approved Rashford’s signing for the summer window.
When asked for his view on Rashford and Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, who Barcelona are also targeting, Flick said last week: ‘Both fantastic players. I like them and we’ll see what happens.’
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