Marcus Rashford's Role in Michael Carrick's Manchester United Plans

Marcus Rashford is suddenly right back in the Manchester United conversation.

Head coach Michael Carrick has made it clear the forward is not just passing through pre-season, hinting strongly that the England international will be part of his plans for the coming campaign after returning from a successful spell at Barcelona.

“He's our player. He's come back great, like any other player,” Carrick said. “I've known him a long time, he gives us something a bit different. He's been in great spirits since he's been back, he's been back two or three days.”

Rashford travelled with the squad to Dublin for Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United but stayed on the bench, his presence alone enough to raise eyebrows given how far he had drifted from the Old Trafford picture.

The 28-year-old has not played a competitive game for United since December 2024. Six months at Aston Villa were followed by last season’s loan at Barcelona, where he rebuilt both rhythm and reputation. He helped Barca win LaLiga, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists in 32 league appearances, and added five goals and three assists in the Champions League.

That output inevitably attracted attention back home. Several Premier League clubs tracked his situation earlier in the transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur among those linked, but Carrick’s stance now suggests United are not in a hurry to cash in.

Rashford only returned to training this week after his World Cup commitments, yet the door has opened quickly. He is in contention to feature in United’s final pre-season friendly on Saturday against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland.

There is an extra twist. On the opposite bench could be Ruben Amorim, the former United manager who froze Rashford out before his departure. A reunion in a summer friendly is a far cry from a Premier League title chase, but for Rashford it offers something else: a symbolic line in the sand.

From exile to option again, the next 90 minutes might say plenty about where his United story goes next.