Marcus Rashford’s next move is tied to whether Barcelona pursue Anthony Gordon, with the club reportedly looking to avoid buying him now.
Barcelona’s wavering stance on a potential move for Anthony Gordon has sent ripples through the summer planning around Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United-owned winger set to return as his Barcelona loan ends.
Rashford is scheduled to go back to his parent club at the end of the season when his loan spell at Barcelona concludes. The next step for Barcelona is tied to an option that would let them make the move permanent for €30million (£26m) during the summer transfer window.
The Catalan club, however, is not eager to trigger that €30million purchase option. Instead, it wants Rashford to remain at the club on another loan deal, keeping its flexibility while the club weighs longer-term squad planning.
That approach sits alongside Barcelona’s longer-range intent. The plan under discussion is to target a permanent deal for Rashford in the summer of 2027, while Manchester United’s position is described as being different, with the parent club looking to move Rashford on sooner rather than later.
With that tug-of-war in mind. Barcelona have reportedly been exploring alternatives—and Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has emerged as one of the names being monitored.. Gordon. like Rashford. is a left winger by trade. which makes the potential fit more straightforward for Barcelona’s sporting staff.
This season, Gordon’s output for Newcastle has made him impossible to ignore. He has scored 17 goals and provided five assists in 46 matches across all competitions for Eddie Howe’s side, raising his profile ahead of what could be a busy summer market.
Yet, the picture for Barcelona’s interest in Gordon has cooled in recent reporting. According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona are not in active talks to sign Gordon at this stage, describing the situation as lacking concrete negotiations or contacts.
Romano’s assessment points to money as the key barrier. He said Gordon is “absolutely too expensive” for Barcelona, adding that the summer cost framework Newcastle would start from would make any approach difficult for a deal now.
In that view, Newcastle’s starting point is reported as €100million (£86.5m, $118m), with the possibility of negotiating down through additional structures. The reporting suggests bonuses could come into play, but even with adjustments the overall requirement would still be substantial.
The report also flags that other clubs are already circling. Romano noted that Bayern are interested in Gordon, with discussions taking place between Bayern and the player’s representatives and club-to-club engagement with Newcastle already underway.
Bayern’s pursuit is framed as part of a wider shortlist for the winger role.. The reporting describes a three-man shortlist. with Gordon expected to leave Newcastle this summer. while also acknowledging that multiple Premier League clubs are interested—keeping the wider competitive pressure on any potential deal.
For Rashford. the practical implication is clear: if Barcelona cannot get a deal done for Gordon. the route back toward a Rashford agreement becomes more likely.. Under that scenario. Barcelona would have a strong incentive to explore a plan involving Rashford again rather than starting over with another winger target.
There is also a timing dimension to the way these negotiations collide.. Barcelona’s reluctance to trigger the €30million option now suggests the club wants to avoid locking itself into a permanent commitment while a loan arrangement remains a workable solution.. At the same time. Manchester United’s desire to move Rashford sooner keeps pressure on Barcelona to make decisions within the summer window. even as it prefers to delay a longer-term call.
Meanwhile, the market dynamics around Gordon highlight why transfers can shift so quickly. With Bayern already actively engaged and multiple clubs monitoring the situation, Barcelona’s best-laid plan could be disrupted by prices, competition, and the speed of negotiations elsewhere.
In that context. Rashford’s relief is rooted in uncertainty turning into opportunity: the reported lack of concrete talks for Gordon reduces the odds that Barcelona will immediately pivot away from Rashford entirely.. If Gordon remains out of reach financially. Rashford could become the safer fallback—exactly the kind of outcome that would give Barcelona reason to pursue another loan deal and keep its longer-term thinking for later.
Misryoum
Marcus Rashford Barcelona Anthony Gordon Newcastle winger loan option transfer news Premier League