Rashford will not be bought by Barcelona. He could become a Serie A opportunity

FC Barcelona have made their decision. Marcus Rashford will not be signed permanently, despite an excellent season in terms of numbers. The reasoning behind the choice includes technical considerations, his potential long-term development, financial factors and also squad congestion, particularly after the recent arrival of Anthony Gordon at the Catalan club.

The England forward is therefore set to return to Manchester United, but probably only briefly. After this season’s loan spell, it is difficult to imagine him having a future at Old Trafford. That means a player who has recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances this season could suddenly become the classic market opportunity.

He would not come cheap, but the quality is obvious - and it remains to be seen whether an Italian club might be tempted to make a move.

Rashford has a release clause worth €46m, but the feeling is that he could leave in the summer for around half that figure, somewhere between €20m and €30m. In other words, the same amount Barcelona would have needed to pay to make his move permanent.

There is already plenty of interest in England, with Aston Villa keen to make him the face of their Champions League project. Yet after his experience in La Liga, the possibility that Rashford may want to test himself in another league cannot be ruled out.

That is where the Bundesliga and Serie A come into play. Bayern Munich have shown interest in his situation, while AC Milan also pursued him strongly in the recent past without being able to make the finances work.

The Rossoneri could therefore return to the idea ahead of what is expected to be a major attacking overhaul. Juventus FC and SSC Napoli may also give the matter some thought in the coming weeks, particularly Napoli in the event of Romelu Lukaku leaving.