Barcelona's surprise pursuit of Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has thrown fresh uncertainty over whether Marcus Rashford will secure a permanent move to the Catalan club this summer.

Gordon's transfer had been so unexpected that Bayern Munich initially dismissed Barcelona's reported interest as a ploy to reduce the price of signing Rashford on a permanent basis. That assessment proved wrong — Barcelona outbid Bayern, and Gordon is now set to complete the move to Camp Nou.

What this means for Rashford

Barcelona hold an option to sign Rashford permanently from Manchester United for a fee of £26 million, but have not yet exercised it. Reports from Spain and England differ in the finer details, though neither side has categorically ruled out a permanent deal for the Manchester United forward.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo maintains that Rashford remains a genuine option for Barcelona even with Gordon's arrival imminent, while Sky Sports and Mundo Deportivo both acknowledge that the financial case for Gordon is stronger — despite his transfer fee being close to three times Rashford's option price.

Gordon is three and a half years younger than Rashford, giving him superior resale value. Crucially, his wages are expected to be significantly lower than the £300,000 per week Rashford reportedly earns at Old Trafford.

Could both players coexist at Barcelona?

There is a scenario in which the two England forwards end up as teammates rather than rivals for a place in the squad. The Mirror reports that Barcelona intend to use Gordon as a centre-forward, filling the void left by the departing Robert Lewandowski — a role distinct from the wide attacking position Rashford typically occupies.

Further movement in Barcelona's squad could also improve Rashford's prospects. Speculation surrounding Raphinha's potential departure suggests that, if he were to leave, Barcelona would free up both a starting berth and the financial headroom needed to make a deal for Rashford viable.

For now, Rashford's Camp Nou future remains unresolved — and a return to Manchester United has not been ruled out.