Marcus Rashford's Fresh Start at Manchester United Under Michael Carrick

Marcus Rashford looks set to be handed a fresh chapter at Manchester United under Michael Carrick, after the head coach underlined that the forward remains very much in his plans 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 significant. This was his first matchday involvement with the club since a nomadic spell away from Old Trafford.

The 28-year-old has not played a competitive game for United since December 2024. Six months at Aston Villa were followed by a season-long loan at Barcelona, where he rebuilt both rhythm and reputation. Now he is back, and Carrick made it clear where he stands.

"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," Carrick said. "He's been in great spirits since he's been back, he's been back two or three days."

Those few lines cut through any transfer noise. United are at least preparing as if Rashford will be part of the squad when the real action starts.

A Barcelona title-winner returns

Rashford arrives back in Manchester with something tangible on his CV: a LaLiga winner’s medal. He played a meaningful role in Barcelona’s title success last season, contributing eight goals and seven assists in 32 league appearances. He also delivered in Europe, adding five goals and three assists in the Champions League.

That output has kept his name on recruitment lists across England. Earlier in the transfer window he was linked with several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, as teams monitored whether United would cash in or commit to a reset.

Instead, Rashford has rejoined Carrick’s group this week after his World Cup exertions with England, slotting straight back into training at Carrington. The mood around him, by his manager’s account, is upbeat.

A reunion with an old boss

The next step could come on Saturday in Wroclaw, Poland, where United face AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly. That game carries a sharp subplot.

On the opposite bench is former United manager Ruben Amorim, the man who effectively froze Rashford out at Old Trafford before the forward’s departure on loan. Now, the two could meet again in a very different dynamic: Rashford as a returning asset, Carrick as the coach willing to give him a platform.

If Carrick does turn to him in Wroclaw, it would mark the first time in more than a year that Rashford pulls on a United shirt in a match. After Barcelona, after the speculation, after the doubts, the stage is set for him to show exactly what “something a bit different” looks like in a new era.