Manchester United issue ultimatum to out-of-favor star on future amid Barcelona interest: Reports

Manchester United have reportedly informed Marcus Rashford that he must take a call on his future soon amid interest from Barcelona. The Red Devils are said to be keen to sort out his next steps after he fell out of favor at Old Trafford.

Rashford did initially enjoy game time under Ruben Amorim after the Portuguese boss' arrival this season, starting in his first four Premier League games. However, things went downhill after he was excluded from the squad to face Manchester City in December.

Rashford then admitted in an interview that he was ready for a new challenge, indicating his desire to leave the club. The England international has not featured for the Red Devils since, with Amorim stating that he's unsure of whether Rashford could return to the fold.

The 27-year-old winger has been heavily linked with an exit and reports suggest that AC Milan and Barcelona are his biggest suitors. According to Spanish outlet SPORT, the higher-ups at Manchester United have now issued an ultimate to Rashford (via The Hard Tackle).

Manchester United are intent on resolving his future and are planning to meet with the player and his camp on Wednesday (January 15). It remains to be seen whether a move to Barcelona will materialize this window.

Rashford spent his formative years at Manchester United's youth academy before earning his first-team promotion in 2016. The England international has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for United across competitions. He has won the UEFA Europa League, two FA Cups, and two Carabao Cups with the club.

Barcelona receive major boost in race to sign Manchester United's Marcus Rashford - Reports

Barcelona have been handed a major boost in the race to sign Marcus Rashford courtesy of a failed transfer involving AC Milan winger Noah Okafor. The Swiss attacker was set to depart the Italian outfit after securing a loan move to RB Leipzig this month.

However, the transfer fell through after he failed his medical tests with the club. Leipzig's staff discovered that the 24-year-old would be unfit for up to four weeks and the club decided not to keep him, having signed him on a six-month deal. Okafor has returned to Milan, as a result.

Now that he's back on AC Milan's books, the Serie A side have been forced to halt their pursuit of Rashford, since they would struggle to accommodate the England international in the squad and his wages.

This places Barcelona in an advantageous position and brings them a step closer to potentially signing Rashford, a move manager Hansi Flick is keen on finalizing.