Rashford-Leao Swap On The Cards As Barcelona Deal Collapses

Manchester United have shelved plans to sell Marcus Rashford to Barcelona and are now eyeing a swap arrangement with AC Milan to bring Rafael Leao to Old Trafford.

The Barcelona door has firmly shut after the Catalan club resisted triggering the €30m buyout clause in Rashford's loan agreement. Instead, they've pushed for either a second season-long loan or a reduced fee. United, however, believe the valuation is actually underselling their man and have rejected the overtures.

That impasse has opened the door to a radical alternative. Reports suggest United want to package Rashford as part of a deal for Milan's Leao, using the England international as a bargaining chip to ease the financial burden of the transfer.

Rashford's Barcelona stint has been respectable enough on paper—13 goals and nine assists across 45 appearances this season—but the arrangement increasingly looks like a dead end. The winger would struggle for consistent minutes alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, casting doubt over a permanent switch regardless of the fee wrangling.

The swap proposal presents complications, however. Milan aren't exactly queuing up to take Rashford on board, and any deal would require significant negotiation between the two clubs.

Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has suggested Rashford should pursue regular football elsewhere, arguing that a move to a club like Aston Villa would better suit his needs than warming the bench at Camp Nou. Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes noted: "At Barcelona, he only ever will be back-up to Raphinha and Yamal. It's down to the lad, does he want to go to maybe a Villa or that type of club where he'll probably play every week."

The situation has also attracted attention from Tottenham, who could potentially move for Rashford should they secure their Premier League status this season.