Aston Villa have decided not to activate the £40 million buy option in Marcus Rashford’s loan deal, bringing an end to the forward’s short stint in Birmingham. Despite a productive second half of the season under Unai Emery, both the club and the player have mutually agreed not to pursue a permanent move.

As a result, Rashford will return to Manchester United this summer. However, his role under new manager Rúben Amorim remains uncertain. The Portuguese boss reportedly does not plan to include Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, or Jadon Sancho in United’s upcoming pre-season tour of the United States, which kicks off in late July.

Rashford, 26, has been stirring speculation throughout the off-season by liking multiple posts on social media accounts linked to FC Barcelona. The Catalan giants are actively seeking attacking reinforcements, and should their bid to sign Nico Williams fall through, a potential loan deal for Rashford could become a serious option.