Marcus Rashford's Fresh Start at Manchester United

Marcus Rashford looks set to be handed a fresh start at Manchester United after head coach Michael Carrick made it clear the forward is firmly in his thoughts for the new season.

Rashford travelled with United’s squad to Dublin for Wednesday’s pre-season friendly against Leeds United but stayed on the bench during the 1-1 draw. His presence, though, felt like a statement.

Carrick did little to play that down.

“He's our player. He's come back great, like any other player. I've known him a long time, he gives us something a bit different,” the United boss said, underlining that Rashford is not just passing through Carrington on his way to another move. “He's been in great spirits since he's been back, he's been back two or three days.”

The 28-year-old has been away from Old Trafford for a long stretch. He has not played for United since December 2024, spending the second half of that campaign on loan at Aston Villa before joining Barcelona for last season.

In Spain, he rebuilt his reputation. Rashford was part of Barcelona’s LaLiga-winning squad, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists in 32 league appearances. He added another five goals and three assists in the Champions League, reminding Europe of his sharpness in the final third.

That form inevitably drew attention. Several Premier League clubs tracked his situation earlier in the transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur among those linked, but United have kept their stance simple: he belongs to them, and Carrick intends to use him.

The next step could come quickly. Rashford, who returned to training this week after his World Cup commitments with England, 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 to that fixture. In the opposite dugout will be former United manager Ruben Amorim, the man who froze Rashford out at Old Trafford before the forward’s departure on loan. If Rashford does get minutes, it will not just be a tune-up for the new campaign. It will feel like the start of a new chapter played out in front of an old storyline.