Marcus Rashford is scheduled for a Manchester United return next summer but the forward's future remains uncertain
Marcus Rashford already had a cordial relationship with James Maddison before rumours linked the England forward to Tottenham Hotspur.
The star, currently on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, is set to remain with the Spanish heavyweights until the end of the season. With Ruben Amorim not including the 28-year-old in his plans at Old Trafford, Rashford's future beyond next summer is uncertain.
Rashford has found his form again in Spain, contributing 15 goals and assists combined in just 16 matches across all competitions for Barcelona. The Catalan club reportedly has a £26million option to buy at the end of his temporary stint.
However, a return to England could be on the cards for Rashford, with Spanish reports suggesting that his agent and brother, Dwaine Maynard, has initiated discussions with Spurs and Chelsea regarding a potential transfer.
If Rashford were to make the move to north London, he would reunite with several international colleagues, including Maddison, with whom he shares a good friendship. The duo have often appeared friendly during England call-ups and have exchanged complimentary messages on social media.
It was following Rashford's double for United in a Carabao Cup triumph over Chelsea in 2019 that saw the pair take to Instagram. The forward scored a penalty and a stunning free-kick at Stamford Bridge and posted a photo of himself celebrating in front of the Blues supporters on social media.
He posted: "Class win. Class support. Class night. Hope you enjoyed your birthday Dwaine Maynard (Rashford's brother and agent)" prompting Maddison to comment: "Nah that free-kick," with a shocked-face emoji. Rashford responded: "Maddison [I've] been watching you mate."
Another recent exchange occurred this summer amidst widespread speculation about Rashford's future. In June, he shared holiday photographs on Instagram captioned: "The lost files. Summer 25" which the Tottenham player liked.
Maddison - sidelined for much of the campaign after sustaining an ACL injury during pre-season - would likely welcome Rashford joining Spurs. The midfielder's vision and passing ability could work tremendously in tandem with Rashford's runs in behind defences, though the striker has spoken enthusiastically about his Barcelona experience.
In an ESPN interview last month, Rashford confirmed: "Oh yeah, for sure," when questioned about staying at Barcelona. He continued: "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour."
Describing it as a "perfect scenario" playing alongside world-class talent, Rashford singled out two team-mates for particular commendation. "Lots of players have lots of qualities but probably the standouts are Lamine Yamal. And, for me, Pedri is unbelievable," he said.
"I knew he was good before I played with him. But to play with him everyday is unbelievable. Relationships on the pitch, the ones I am still learning, are very important. When it comes to the matchday, these are things which make small differences. They have such high quality. It's the perfect scenario to play with players like this."