Three Saudi Clubs Have Approached Marcus Rashford. He Might Not Be Interested.

Marcus Rashford’s future just got a lot more complicated. The Manchester United forward, who spent last season on loan at Barcelona, now has interest from at least three Saudi Arabian clubs. But here’s the thing: according to journalist Ben Jacobs, there’s no indication yet that Rashford actually wants to go.

Rashford, 28, was deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford last summer and headed to Camp Nou. He had a solid season there too, putting up 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions and helping Barcelona win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup. It looked like a natural fit. But Barcelona surprised everyone by moving for Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon instead of making Rashford’s move permanent for the reported €30 million fee. So now Rashford is back in limbo.

The Saudi interest is real. But is it mutual?

Jacobs says Al-Qadsiah, Al-Hilal and Diriyah have all made some form of contact with Rashford’s camp. Al-Qadsiah is particularly interesting because they aren’t relying solely on ministry funding — they’re building a club with actual ambition. Al-Hilal is figuring things out under new private ownership but could look to add another wide attacker. And Diriyah, one of the richest clubs in the country after promotion, would basically be willing to overhaul their entire team. Jacobs said Diriyah is “one of the ones that quite like Rashford.”

But none of that matters if Rashford says no. Jacobs was clear: “I have no indication yet if he would be remotely open to going to Saudi Arabia.” Turkish club Fenerbahce has also been linked in the past, though no formal approach to United has been made this window.

Manchester United has already moved on

Back at United, the decision is firm. The club has no plans to reintegrate Rashford and wants him off the books this summer. INEOS is facing a tricky situation though — there are still some voices inside the club calling for his return, and United is also hunting for a new left-forward. A stay at Old Trafford isn’t completely off the table, but it looks unlikely.

There’s also the World Cup factor. Jacobs pointed out that if Rashford has a strong tournament, he’ll almost certainly push Barcelona again and try to make that move permanent. His preference, apparently, has always been to stay at Camp Nou. Whether Barcelona feels the same way after going for Gordon remains to be seen.

So Rashford’s situation is stuck somewhere between Saudi money, Spanish nostalgia, and English uncertainty. He’s a player with suitors and options, but the one he actually wants might not want him back.