Rashford, who has spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Camp Nou, is keen to stay in Catalonia beyond the summer after helping lift the La Liga title this month.
The England international has registered 14 goals and 14 assists in 48 appearances for the Spanish giants who are still negotiating a deal for him as the summer transfer window approaches.
United are holding firm on their £26.2M valuation of the forward, a price Barcelona are reportedly not ready to match as they remain stubborn as the season comes to a close.
Rashford is in a tricky situation
Speaking to Tribal Football via PlayUK, Mendieta was asked if Rashford should stay at United in a move that he does not back as he hopes his move to La Liga can become permanent.
"It's a tricky one because he's obviously enjoying the Barcelona lifestyle as well as the playing. But Barça's style of football is so different from United's, or maybe every Premier League team.
“I am very intrigued by what he might be thinking. I'm sure if he obviously now the confidence is back, he's proven to everyone, or most people, wrong that he can still play and play at that level.
“But going back to a club where at some point you were not wanted, or you were not loved in the way you wanted is difficult for a player to consider, even if situations have changed. But we've seen it."
Going back to United is off the cards
Rashford's preference has remained unchanged throughout the season as he hopes to leave United and remain with Barcelona ahead of their title defense next season. Barcelona are hoping to negotiate another loan with United, but the Premier League side are eager to sell. Mendieta says the situation is intriguing, but Rashford cannot make his way back to the Red Devils.
“I'm very intrigued with the situation with Rashford, what will happen. Despite the fact that players don't mind going back to their former clubs, it never happened to me, I never had a choice, but I don't think I would have done it either.
“I think you move forward, move to the next challenges and the next situations. As soon as something doesn't go perfectly for you, memory goes back to the fans, and then they are wrong. They club the team, and you go back to a situation that is totally fragile and difficult to reverse again. So yeah, let's see what Barca decides.
“For me, as a player, it's always the case, like, you've left somewhere where things were bad, and he was not the happiest player at United. And then you leave actually for some of those reasons.
“To go back there now, one game you don't score, two games you don't score, you don't play, it takes some time to get into that form. Patience won't last very long.”
"For Marcus, it's important that he stays at Barca because I don't think it's easy to replace that type of player. But the same, when someone fits into a system, into a team, into the dressing room, I think that's very important for the club as well as for the players."
Reports suggest United have no intention of bringing him back into their first-team fold and only want to see Rashford this summer, putting Barcelona in an awkward position. According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Rashford had already agreed in principle to a three-year contract with Barcelona that features a 40 per cent cut on his Old Trafford salary.