Marcus Rashford in limbo! Man Utd dealt blow in bid to get rid of £40m-rated outcast as Barcelona play the waiting game

Rashford's future remains up in the air after falling out of favour with Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford and spending the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa. Their £40 million ($54m) option has gone unused so far, with Rashford's preference widely reported to be Barcelona. But simply selling him to the still cash-strapped Catalans isnt a straightforward process.

According to GiveMeSport, Barcelona have decided they would only be interested in pursuing a loan deal - and that would be if Rashford is still available towards the end of the summer transfer window. Barcelona, who are more heavily linked with Liverpool's Luis Diaz, are thought to be interested in Rashford, but don't intend to rush into talks now. They are seemingly expecting that the player's desire to join them is so strong, that he would rebuff other opportunities to leave United to keep himself available..

Rashford still has another three years left on his Red Devils contract, and removing the salary of a player deemed surplus to requirements by Amorim is an important step in boosting the club's financial health.

The next few months could be a struggle for United. Although Matheus Cunha has already arrived for a sizeable fee and a Bryan Mbeumo bidding war has begun, selling Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony has been considered hugely significant to raise further funds for the necessary squad overhaul. But if the club most interested in Rashford, and the one he wants to join over any other, is digging heels in over the timeframe, the Red Devils may not be able to cash in as they wish.