Marcus Rashford's Return to Manchester United

Marcus Rashford is back in the picture at Manchester United – and Michael Carrick is making no attempt to hide it.

The forward travelled with the squad for Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United in Dublin but stayed on the bench, his wait for a first United appearance since December 2024 stretching on for a few more days. Even so, Carrick’s message was clear.

“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 head coach 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 weeks of speculation. Rashford, 28, has spent the last year rebuilding his reputation away from Old Trafford – first with a six-month spell at Aston Villa, then as part of Barcelona’s LaLiga-winning side. Now he is walking back into a dressing room that has moved on without him, but not closed the door.

His numbers in Spain demand attention. Eight goals and seven assists in 32 LaLiga appearances, plus five goals and three assists in the Champions League, underline why Premier League clubs circled earlier in the window. Tottenham Hotspur were among those linked, sensing an opportunity if United chose to cash in.

Carrick’s stance suggests the opposite. The plan, at least for now, is to use him.

Rashford is in line to feature in United’s final pre-season friendly on Saturday against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland. The fixture carries an extra twist. In the opposite dugout is former United boss Ruben Amorim, the manager who froze Rashford out at Old Trafford before his departure.

A year on, Rashford returns from a title-winning campaign, fresh from World Cup duty with England and back in training this week with a point to prove. Carrick, who has known him for years from their time together at the club, sounds ready to give him that stage.

The question now is simple: does this comeback mark a short prelude to another move, or the start of a genuine second act at Manchester United?