Revealed: Man Utd set to give short shrift to Barcelona's Marcus Rashford transfer plot

Hansi Flick's side are said to be covering the entirety of Rashford's £315,000-a-week wages, and the 28-year-old has so far proved his worth for the Catalan giants. He has scored 10 goals and added 13 assists across 34 appearances this term, and every indication suggests that Barca will trigger their option to sign him, even if they have to pay the full asking price. 

United are believed to be confused by reports that they are willing to negotiate Rashford's exit fee, but the English giants are keen to offload the academy graduate and wipe his wages off the books. The Red Devils will save over £600,000-a-week when Casemiro and Jadon Sancho both leave when their contracts expire in June, while captain Bruno Fernandes' future is also up in the air. Harry Maguire remains at the club, but is expected to be offered a lower wage than the £180,000-a-week he currently earns, should he sign an extension instead of leaving as a free agent. 

United missed out on European football entirely last season, after finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League and losing in the Europa League final to Tottenham, forfeiting Champions League participation in the process. With the club's second-quarter financial results expected in the next week, the seriousness of missing out on £100m ($136m) in Champions League revenue is set to be put in writing for fans to see. 

The club's total debt sits at around £1.29 billion ($1.7bn), with the Red Devils paying sponsorship penalties in recent months, alongside a £10m ($14m) pay-out to former head coach Ruben Amorim. Interim boss Michael Carrick is not believed to be on a mega-salary, but does have a bonus clause in his contract should he return United to Europe's top table at the end of the season.

As it stands, United sit in fourth, one point ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League. They are not back in action until Monday night, when they face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.