Will Unwin

Barcelona increasingly unlikely to make loan permanent United keen to sell forward but few can afford wages Marcus Rashford could have a summer of transfer limbo in store despite Michael Carrick admitting the door is not completely closed on the forward playing for Manchester United again. Rashford is currently on loan at Barcelona but it is becoming increasingly unlikely the move will be made permanent, which will obligate a return to Old Trafford where he would receive a wage rise if the club qualify for the Champions League. The 28-year-old has not played for United since December 2024, spending the past 16 months out on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona, who have the option to purchase Rashford for €30m (£26m). United sit comfortably in third, seven points above Saturday’s opponents, sixth-placed Chelsea, but will not want to see the gap close come full time at Stamford Bridge.

Atlético Madrid held onto to reach the semi-finals against 10-man Barcelona on a pulsating night in the Spanish capital I always feel sorry for the young mascots on Champions League nights. They are living the dream but having to dress like a credit card. The teams are primed in the ‘tunnel’ which is more spacious than my house.

Becoming heavyweight champions of the world may be beyond the ninth tier club but new chair Jon McClure hopes to bring team back to the city “I told them if they bring a drum, I will buy them a pie,” was the message from the new Sheffield FC chair, Jon McClure, to young fans. The Reverend and the Makers frontman is Steel City born and raised, a Wednesday fan by nature and extremely proud of his home town’s history. Becoming involved with the world’s oldest club was an opportunity not to be missed, and McClure knows how to create some noise. McClure wanted to link up with Sheffield FC eight years ago, but says he was not “in a mature enough position in my life to look after what’s essentially a kind of cultural and civic institution in the country and in Sheffield”. Since last month he has been at the heart of the ninth-tier club’s boardroom, part of a new minority ownership group alongside David Bianchi, the co-founder of Various Artists Management, reviewing the state of things and seeking improvement.

Defender’s deal goes to 2027 with option for extra year Says playing for United is ‘the ultimate honour’ Harry Maguire has described playing for Manchester United as “the ultimate honour” after signing a one-year contract extension, with the option of a further season. The centre-back struggled under Ruben Amorim, putting his future into doubt, but he has become integral to Michael Carrick as United battle for a Champions League place. The 33-year-old has agreed to a wage reduction, with his previous deal – which expires this summer – worth £190,000 a week. Maguire has been an ever-present since Carrick replaced Amorim and earned an England recall last month. He made two appearances in the friendlies, putting him in contention for the squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Rasmus Højlund is back among the goals at Napoli while Jakub Kiwior has helped make Porto solid in defence and Largie Ramazani has given Valencia a creative spark The Dane, like many others, struggled under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford and was packed off to Naples. He scored on his debut, a 3-1 win over Fiorentina, and has been consistent since, netting 10 goals in 26 games for Serie A’s third-placed team. “Now it’s portrayed as if I’m back and just doing really well,” Højlund, who cost United £72m when they signed him from Atalanta in August 2023, said to Denmark’s TV2 last week. “But inside myself my thoughts are in a completely different place. I’m self-critical. I still want to be even better, more involved in the games and score more goals, but it’s fun to observe how the image of me is constantly changing.”