Barcelona’s move for Anthony Gordon has changed the picture around Marcus Rashford almost immediately. Newcastle agreed a £69.3 million sale with Barcelona, plus add-ons, and the same reports say Barcelona can sign Rashford for £26 million thanks to a clause in his loan move. Rashford remains under contract until 2028, so this is still a negotiation, not a finished decision.

Why the Gordon move matters

The case for Barcelona making Rashford permanent is less straightforward now because they have another major forward option on the table. The Gordon deal was reported at more than €80 million, or £69.3 million, with add-ons, and Newcastle were said to have received bids from Barcelona and Bayern München on the same day. That is a serious outlay either way, and it makes the £26 million Rashford clause harder to treat as the obvious next step.

Gordon’s numbers help explain why Barcelona pushed. He averaged a 7.08 Premier League rating across 26 appearances and 1,817 league minutes, with an 8.2-rated standout performance in the league included in the brief. That is the profile of a player Barcelona are willing to move for, not a speculative punt.

Rashford still has a case, but he is not out of the woods

Rashford’s season in Spain has not been poor. The articles cite 14 goals and 14 assists, and the verified stat rows in the brief show 32 La Liga appearances with a 6.83 rating, plus a stronger 7.24 in the Champions League. That is useful output, and it means Barcelona have had enough time to judge whether he fits.

Rashford’s own words point to uncertainty rather than commitment. Speaking to mirror.co.uk, he said: “This is the perfect way I want it to end. I'm very happy, I just want to enjoy today. I live in the moment. At the end of the season we will see.” He also said, “At the end of the season we will see.”

That leaves Barcelona with a choice, and the Gordon deal leans the wrong way for Rashford. His form gives him a live case to stay, but the club’s willingness to spend heavily on another attacker makes a permanent switch look less certain than it did before.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →