Marcus Rashford credits Barcelona move for England recall

The 27-year-old forward has made a strong start to life in La Liga, contributing three goals and five assists in 10 appearances since arriving at Camp Nou on loan from Manchester United during the transfer window.

Rashford had fallen out of favour at United under manager Ruben Amorim and was loaned to Aston Villa for the second half of last season, where he registered four goals and six assists in 14 matches. That spell helped him regain his place in the England squad after missing out on Euro 2024.

Speaking to ITV Sport, Rashford pointed to instability at United as a major factor behind his recent struggles.

"I feel like I've been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time. So it's even more difficult to be consistent then," he said. "Consistency is what I need to bring into my game. I want to be at my best, not sometimes, but as often as possible."

He added that the move to Barcelona has already had a positive impact on his international prospects.

"If I'd stayed at Manchester United, I wouldn't have been playing. So no, I don't think I'd have been selected (for England)," he said.

Rashford's last appearance for England prior to his recall came in March 2024, in a 1-0 loss to Brazil. He returned to the squad a year later, featuring in a 2-0 win over Albania in March 2025, and came off the bench last week in a World Cup qualifier against Wales.