Marcus Rashford appeared to have no way back at Manchester United, but Michael Carrick’s latest comments have dramatically changed the picture as the England forward returns to the first-team setup.
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future has taken a dramatic turn after Michael Carrick publicly welcomed the England forward back into his first-team plans, opening the possibility of an Old Trafford comeback that once appeared almost impossible.
Rashford returned to United this summer following his loan spell at Barcelona and has now resumed training with Carrick’s squad ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
He was not involved in Wednesday’s pre-season friendly against Leeds United at Croke Park, but watched from the sidelines as United drew 1-1 before winning 5-4 on penalties. More importantly, Carrick’s comments afterwards suggested Rashford is no longer being treated like a player with no future at the club.
Asked about the 28-year-old, Carrick delivered a simple but significant message:
“He’s our player. He’s come back great.”
The United manager also explained that he has known Rashford for a long time and believes the forward offers his squad something different. Carrick added that Rashford has returned in good spirits and has been training normally since joining the squad again.
After more than 18 months of uncertainty, loan spells and speculation about a permanent departure, those words could represent the beginning of a remarkable second chance at Old Trafford.
Rashford is back inside Manchester United’s first-team environment
The significance of Rashford’s return goes beyond simply reporting for pre-season.
Manchester United’s official channels have shown the forward back training with Carrick’s squad in Ireland, while he has also been pictured interacting with supporters alongside his teammates.
That represents a major change from the situation surrounding Rashford during his breakdown in relationship with former manager Ruben Amorim.
Rashford’s last competitive appearance for United came in December 2024. He subsequently spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Aston Villa before joining Barcelona on loan for the following season.
At several stages, the assumption was that his Manchester United career was effectively finished.
Now, that assumption no longer looks safe.
Michael Carrick opens the door for a Rashford comeback
Carrick’s position is particularly important because the United manager has previous experience working with Rashford.
Unlike the fractured relationship that developed under Amorim, Rashford and Carrick already know each other well from their years together at Manchester United.
Carrick’s latest remarks were noticeably free of any suggestion that Rashford is training separately, waiting for a transfer or considered outside the club’s plans.
Instead, he described the situation as essentially normal.
That does not amount to a guarantee that Rashford will remain at United after the transfer window closes, but it is arguably the strongest indication yet that Carrick is genuinely prepared to work with him if he stays.
The contrast with only a year ago could hardly be greater.
Rashford could play against AC Milan
The next major sign could arrive on the pitch.
Rashford was left out against Leeds because he had only recently returned following his post-World Cup break, but United expect several returning players to become available for the club’s final pre-season match against AC Milan. Manchester United have confirmed that Carrick hopes Rashford will be among those available for the fixture.
Should Rashford feature, it would mark another important step in his reintegration.
He has not played a competitive match for Manchester United since December 2024, despite remaining under contract with his boyhood club.
A pre-season appearance would not guarantee he starts the Premier League campaign in Carrick’s squad, but it would provide tangible evidence that the manager is prepared to assess him as a footballer rather than simply waiting for the club to sell him.
Barcelona decision sent Rashford back to Old Trafford
Rashford’s return became necessary after Barcelona chose not to make his loan move permanent.
The Spanish giants had an option to sign the forward permanently, but ultimately decided to strengthen their attack elsewhere. That left Rashford heading back to Manchester with his future once again uncertain. The Times reported that Barcelona opted against triggering the €30 million purchase option after bringing in other attacking reinforcements.
For United, the situation presented both a problem and an opportunity.
Rashford is one of the club’s highest earners, meaning finding a permanent buyer capable of matching both United’s valuation and his salary has not been straightforward. Interest has existed from clubs in England and abroad, but no transfer has yet progressed sufficiently to remove him from Carrick’s squad.
That reality has created an unexpected possibility.
Instead of forcing an exit, Manchester United may discover that reintegrating Rashford is the most practical solution.
Could Rashford become like a new signing?
United defender Noussair Mazraoui has already raised that possibility.
When asked about Rashford’s return after the Leeds friendly, Mazraoui suggested the forward could effectively become an important addition to Carrick’s squad this season — while acknowledging that a departure remains possible before the window closes.
From a football perspective, the argument is easy to understand.
Rashford already knows Manchester United, the Premier League and the pressure that comes with playing at Old Trafford.
He has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for the club, according to figures reported following Carrick’s latest comments.
At his best, Rashford provides pace in transition, direct running from the left and the ability to attack space behind defensive lines.
Carrick’s comment that Rashford offers United “something a little bit different” may therefore be particularly revealing.
United do not necessarily need Rashford to return as the undisputed focal point of the attack.
They may simply need him to become another dangerous option within a deeper and more competitive squad.
The contract situation gives United time
Manchester United are also not facing an immediate contract deadline.
Rashford signed a long-term deal in 2023 that runs until June 2028.
That means United do not have to accept an unsuitable offer simply to avoid losing him for nothing this summer.
At the same time, keeping a highly paid player without a meaningful role would make little sense financially.
The next few weeks are therefore likely to determine whether Carrick’s apparent willingness to reintegrate Rashford develops into a genuine sporting comeback or simply provides United with another option while the transfer market remains open.
A transfer is still possible
Despite the increasingly positive signals, it would be premature to declare that Rashford is definitely staying at Manchester United.
That distinction matters.
The Times has reported that his future remains uncertain despite his return, while previous interest from Premier League clubs and teams overseas means a suitable permanent offer could still change the situation before the transfer deadline.
United have also previously considered attacking targets who could replace Rashford if he leaves. The Guardian reported in July that West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville was among the players being considered in that scenario.
So the door remains open in both directions.
But the balance has shifted.
A few months ago, the central question was where Rashford would go after returning from Barcelona.
Now, the question is increasingly whether he needs to leave at all.
From United exile to unexpected second chance
Rashford’s situation has changed dramatically since the end of 2024.
After being dropped by Amorim, openly discussing the possibility of a new challenge and eventually leaving on loan, a permanent separation appeared inevitable.
Barcelona then offered Rashford a route away from Manchester, but their decision not to buy him permanently returned the England international to the club where his senior career began.
The crucial difference this time is the man waiting for him.
Carrick is not treating Rashford like an unwanted player.
He is training with the first team.
He has been welcomed back into the squad.
And he could soon be wearing a Manchester United shirt on the pitch again.
Where Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future stands now
As of August 13, there has been no official decision confirming that Rashford will stay at Manchester United for the entire 2026/27 season.
But several developments now point toward a very different situation from the one many expected at the beginning of the summer.
Rashford has returned to first-team training.
Michael Carrick has publicly welcomed him back and highlighted what he can offer the team.
He could feature against AC Milan in United’s final pre-season match.
And no permanent transfer away from Old Trafford has yet been agreed.
For a player whose Manchester United career once appeared to be over, that represents a remarkable reversal.
The transfer window can still change everything.
But for the first time in a long time, Marcus Rashford appears to have something at Manchester United that once looked completely gone:
A genuine way back.
