Man United 'plotting' intriguing Marcus Rashford 'swap deal' with Bayern Munich

Manchester United are reportedly planning to use Marcus Rashford in a bid to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic during this summer's transfer window.

Rashford left Man United on loan in the latter stages of the January market, making the move to Aston Villa, and Unai Emery's side have the chance to sign the forward on a permanent basis this summer for a fee in the region of Â£40m.

However, a long-term switch to Villa Park is far from certain, with Villa having financial problems, and it is possible that Rashford will head back to Old Trafford once his loan spell has been completed.

It is difficult to imagine the forward having a future at Man United under current head coach Ruben Amorim, though, and according to CaughtOffside, he could be used as part of a swap deal involving Bayern's Pavlovic.

The 20-year-old has been a regular for Bayern this season, making 20 appearances in all competitions, contributing one goal and one assist in the process.

Man United 'could use Rashford to sign Pavlovic'

Pavlovic has been with Bayern since 2011, progressing through the various age groups at the club before making his first-team debut in 2023, and he has now represented their senior side on 42 occasions, scoring three goals and registering three assists.

The four-time Germany international has started each of Bayern's last four Bundesliga matches, while he has also featured on four occasions in the Champions League during the 2024-25 campaign.

Man United would allegedly have to offer cash plus Rashford to stand a chance of signing Pavlovic, who has a contract at Allianz Arena until June 2029, having penned a five-year deal last July.

The Red Devils are not extending the contract of Christian Eriksen, with the midfielder set to leave on a free transfer this summer, while Casemiro is also surplus to requirements, so Man United are in the market for a central midfielder.

Are Bayern interested in Rashford?

Rashford was linked with a number of major European clubs in January, including Barcelona, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund, but it was Villa that ultimately signed him in the latter stages of the market.

Much will depend on how Rashford performs at Villa in the second half of the season, as a strong few months would increase the interest in him and make this a potentially attractive deal for Bayern.

However, if the forward struggles to have an impact, then it is unlikely that he will earn himself a big-money move this summer, and the Red Devils academy product may find himself back at square one.

As a result, Man United will be hoping that Rashford can show his quality at Villa for the rest of the season.

The 27-year-old has made three appearances for Emery's side since his arrival, featuring off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur and Ipswich Town before starting the 2-2 draw with Liverpool last time out.