Barcelona have decided not to activate the €30 million purchase clause for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who will now return to Old Trafford after his loan spell.

Although the English striker had expressed his desire to remain with the Catalan side, he was informed that the club would not retain him. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the signing of fellow Englishman Anthony Gordon influenced the club’s final decision.

Rashford, aged 28, registered an impressive tally of 14 goals and 14 assists during the season for Barcelona.

Head coach Hansi Flick’s opinion played a crucial role in the board’s verdict. The German manager reportedly favoured Gordon, who at 25 is younger and considered to offer more defensive reliability.

Following the development, Rashford has already removed all Barcelona-related mentions from his Instagram biography.