Rashford and Gordon transfer situations are 'separate'
- Published
What does Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon's impending move to Barcelona mean for England team-mate Marcus Rashford?
After all, the La Liga champions also had the option - and still do - of making the 28-year-old's loan move from Manchester United permanent for £26m.
However, Barcelona have prioritised a move for Gordon, who offers versatility on the left as well as through the middle, but is three years younger and on a lower wage.
Not that Gordon's arrival rules out a Rashford return - sources close to the United forward say the situations are separate.
There is a 15 June deadline for Barcelona to activate the transfer clause. However, sources feel it is unrealistic to think United could sell Rashford for more money to another club he would be prepared to join.
Barcelona have been trying to renegotiate the terms of the clause, something United are unwilling to do.
It is, therefore, not beyond the realms of possibility that the deadline could pass without agreement, but negotiations could continue anyway.
Rather than an arbitrary point after the World Cup has started, the key period is the gap between the end of England's time in the United States, whenever that is, and Rashford's planned return to training, which will be about three weeks later.
That is the point at which some kind of deal needs to be done to avoid manager Michael Carrick having to decide if he is willing to bring back a player who club chiefs would far prefer was not there.
