Paul Ince Advocates for Rashford's Future at Manchester United

Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future hangs in the balance, but Paul Ince is adamant: this is not the time to cut him loose.

United are actively trying to move the winger on after his loan at Barcelona came to an end. Barca, impressed but unconvinced enough to commit, chose to spend big on Anthony Gordon instead of turning Rashford’s spell into a permanent deal.

For many, that felt like the door slamming shut. Ince sees it differently.

“Put your arm around him”

The former United midfielder believes Rashford’s story at Old Trafford should be entering a new chapter, not the final one – and that Michael Carrick is the man to write it.

“I just think Michael Carrick can get the best out of him, I really, really do,” Ince told Oddschecker. “I think if you just put your arm around Rashford then you’re going to see a very, very good player. Fingers crossed that’s the case. But there’s one thing for sure, he is a very, very talented player and if he’s happy, he will perform for you.”

This is the crux of Ince’s argument. Not tactics. Not systems. Man-management. He is convinced Carrick’s calm authority and understanding of the club’s fabric can unlock the version of Rashford that once carried United and dazzled for England.

Barcelona blow and a different Rashford

Ince’s sympathy for Rashford is clear. The forward went to Spain and, crucially, delivered. He scored regularly, shifted across the frontline, and rediscovered the freedom that had drained away in Manchester.

“I feel for Rashford, I really do, because I think he’s a fantastic player,” Ince said. “He can play off the left and he can play off the right. I’m not sure if many people watched him last year playing for Barcelona but he was scoring goals, he was enjoying himself, and he looked a completely different player.

“Then when you think Barcelona are going to sign him they get Anthony Gordon and it kills Rashford. You saw in the World Cup the magic he can bring, he’s got that talent.”

That twist – expecting a permanent move, only to see Barcelona pivot to Gordon – hits hard for any player. For Rashford, who had finally looked like himself again, it cuts even deeper.

Carrick’s growing authority

Back in Manchester, the landscape has shifted. Carrick, still relatively early in his managerial career, already has a major achievement on his record: guiding United to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season and hauling them back into the Champions League.

That success gives his voice weight in any internal debate over Rashford’s future. United may be looking for a clean break, but Carrick has proof that his methods work and that his dressing room listens.

For Ince, that combination – Carrick’s authority and Rashford’s raw talent – is too powerful to ignore. Keep him, back him, and reap the rewards. That is the message.

A crossroads and a date with Hull

For now, Rashford’s immediate future remains unresolved. United are weighing up offers and options, the market moving around a player whose ceiling everyone knows but whose consistency has wavered.

Time, though, is ticking. United open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign on August 22 against newly-promoted Hull City. That fixture suddenly carries an extra layer of intrigue.

Will Rashford be starting on the left, reborn under Carrick at the club he grew up in? Or will that afternoon at Old Trafford simply mark the beginning of United’s life without him?