Ince Backs Rashford's Revival Under Carrick at United

Paul Ince has thrown his weight firmly behind Marcus Rashford, urging Manchester United to abandon plans to move the forward on and instead hand Michael Carrick the keys to his revival.

United are actively trying to offload Rashford this summer after his loan at Barcelona came to an end. Barca, impressed but ultimately unconvinced, chose not to make the deal permanent and moved for Anthony Gordon instead. For many, that felt like the closing of a chapter. Ince sees it differently.

He believes United are on the brink of making a serious mistake.

The former United midfielder is adamant that Carrick is the right manager at the right time to relight Rashford’s career at his boyhood club. For Ince, this is not about tactics on a whiteboard. It is about a manager who knows the player, the club and the pressure that comes with the shirt.

"I just think Michael Carrick can get the best out of him, I really, really do," Ince told Oddschecker. "I think if you just put your arm around Rashford then you’re going to see a very, very good player. Fingers crossed that’s the case. But there’s one thing for sure, he is a very, very talented player and if he’s happy, he will perform for you."

That theme runs through all of Ince’s assessment: Rashford needs backing, not binning. Supportive man-management, he insists, is the key to unlocking the player who once looked destined to lead United for a decade.

Ince’s sympathy for Rashford has only grown since Barcelona walked away. The 26-year-old had rebuilt his confidence in Spain, scoring regularly and showing he can operate across the frontline. For a player whose form at Old Trafford had dipped, that spell felt like a rebirth.

"I feel for Rashford, I really do, because I think he’s a fantastic player," Ince said. "He can play off the left and he can play off the right. I’m not sure if many people watched him last year playing for Barcelona but he was scoring goals, he was enjoying himself, and he looked a completely different player.

"Then when you think Barcelona are going to sign him they get Anthony Gordon and it kills Rashford. You saw in the World Cup the magic he can bring, he’s got that talent."

That Barcelona twist has left Rashford in limbo. The club that revived him chose another forward. The club that raised him is weighing up whether to cut ties. Ince, though, sees a clear path: keep him, trust him, and let Carrick do the rest.

Carrick’s own stock at Old Trafford has rarely been higher. He guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season and secured a return to the Champions League. His calm authority and clarity of approach have reshaped a previously fractured dressing room. Ince is convinced that same touch can restore Rashford.

United’s stance remains unresolved. The hierarchy continues to explore options in the transfer window, conscious of both Rashford’s value and his inconsistent recent years in Manchester. Yet every time his name is linked with a move, the counter-argument grows louder: are United really in a position to discard a homegrown England international who has already proved he can deliver at the highest level?

The calendar offers a natural deadline. United open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign on August 22 against newly-promoted Hull City. By then, Rashford will either be gone, or walking back out at Old Trafford with a point to prove and a manager who believes he can still be the difference.

Ince is in no doubt which outcome he wants to see. The next few weeks will reveal whether United feel as brave.