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Manchester United have suffered a setback in their pursuit of a Barcelona midfielder, which could have implications for Marcus Rashford's future. United sent Rashford on loan to the La Liga club last summer for the campaign, with the England international making a strong impression during his spell in Spain.

Rashford indicated his wish to depart Unitedduring pre-season last summer, and subsequently joined Barcelona on loan with uncertainty surrounding his Old Trafford future.

Since arriving at Barca, Rashfordhas netted eight goals and contributed 12 assists for the La Liga side, and has been tipped to secure a permanent switch at the end of the season. Beyond the ongoing speculation regarding Rashford's situation, United have been linked with a potential move for Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado.

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Barcelona secured a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Real Oviedo in La Liga on Sunday evening, with Casado instrumental in the victory at the Camp Nou.

Casado, 22, has also attracted interest from Wolves and Atletico Madrid, alongside United, with rumours surrounding the gifted midfielder's future continuing to gather pace, reports the Manchester Evening News.

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United have been strongly linked with signing a new midfielder this year, with Casado among the names mentioned as a possible option to replace Casemiro this summer. With United reportedly pursuing Casado, there have also been tentative rumours of a swap deal involving Rashford being finalised for this summer.

Nevertheless, the prospects of any sort of agreement for Casado and United appear unlikely after Barcelona manager Hansi Flick ruled out the possibility of the midfielder departing the Camp Nou.

“For me, there’s no question of him leaving,” said Flick. “We need everyone. Marc is a super professional player.

“He deserved to play today [vs Real Oviedo]. He’s worked hard. I liked what I saw. That’s the Casado we want to see.”

Recent reports have suggested that, should Casado depart Barca, he would favour joining a club abroad rather than in Spain.

United have until February 2 to finalise their transfer activity for the month, though it remains uncertain whether they'll manage to secure any new additions to their squad.

Flick has already delivered a stern message to Barcelona players, both within the first-team setup and the La Masia academy, which emerged as Dro Fernandez moves closer to a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.

"If you want to play for Barca, you have to give everything...100 per cent,” Flick stated earlier this month.

“That's what I want to say to everyone who is with us now or could be with us in the future. Same applies for La Masia youngsters training with the first team.

"They have to be here 100 per cent. These colours must be defended, that's what I want to see. As for the rest, I don't want them."

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