Agent Marcus Rashford?! Kobbie Mainoo 'might be in contact' with Barcelona loanee over own Man Utd escape route

Rashford is a product of the Red Devils’ fabled academy system. He did, however, slip out of favour under Ruben Amorim and found himself being loaned out to Aston Villa in January 2025. The 28-year-old forward is now taking in a season at La Liga giants Barca.

He has impressed there, with a permanent stay being mooted, while familiar faces back in Manchester are seeing questions asked of their respective futures. Mainoo is among those to have generated exit talk, with the 20-year-old midfielder of obvious interest to teams across Europe due to his ball-playing ability.

A change in the dugout at Old Trafford, with Amorim being relieved of his duties, could present Mainoo - who is yet to make a Premier League start this season - with a clean slate. Mendieta has, however, suggested that another frustrated Red Devil would be welcome in Barcelona. Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football odds, Mendieta said: "Could Kobbie Mainoo go abroad and be a success? We’ve seen it happen. Players can go abroad and it motivates them to be successful, Mainoo is an exciting young player and I think La Liga would really suit him.

"He might well have been in contact with Marcus Rashford about joining Barcelona. Who knows if they could play together again, as a football fan, I would be excited to see Mainoo in Spain."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

While talking up a switch to La Liga for Mainoo, Mendieta would like to see another England star consider the merits of Barcelona. Three Lions captain Harry Kane has clauses in his contract at Bayern Munich that can be triggered across transfer windows in 2026.

After breaking his trophy duck as a Bundesliga title winner, it has been suggested that Kane could open himself up to a new challenge. Having followed Robert Lewandowski to the Allianz Arena, he could do likewise at Camp Nou as a fellow prolific No.9 sees his deal in Catalunya run down towards free agency.

Ex-Spain international Mendieta added: "Harry Kane coming to La Liga would be fantastic. Our careers are only short and we cannot play forever, but I don't think he'll be leaving Bayern soon.

"However, if Robert Lewandowski were to leave Barcelona, a new number nine would be very exciting. Again, we're playing a bit of Football Manager here, and we know the finances for Barca are difficult. But football-wise, I think it would be exciting to see him in La Liga.

"If Barca needed a replacement and Lewandowski were to leave the club, Harry Kane would be a great fit."

Moving on to the management front, Mendieta is not convinced that highly-rated Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola - who has previously worked at Rayo Vallecano - will be returning to his native Spain any time soon.

He said of potential interest being shown by Barca and Real Madrid: "I'm not sure. I don't think Andoni Iraola has the profile. I'm not saying he's not up to the job because of the size of it, I think he is, but I'm not sure the profile that those clubs will be looking at him at the moment.

"Certainly, Bilbao will look at him at some point, he will definitely be manager there at some point in his career, but maybe he will move to a big club in the Premier League. He is proving his value at Bournemouth and has shown he can bring success in England, so maybe that will be his path."

For now, debates regarding Mainoo, Kane and Iraola remain idle gossip, with there little substance to be found amid the speculation. That situation could change quickly, though, with all three boasting plenty of appeal to suitors around the world.