Michael Carrick confirms Marcus Rashford return to Manchester United
Marcus Rashford will rejoin the Manchester United squad for their pre-season training camp in the Republic of Ireland following the conclusion of his post-World Cup break.
Manager Michael Carrick confirmed the forward’s inclusion ahead of a scheduled trip to Dublin.
The 28-year-old’s future at Old Trafford had appeared uncertain after Barcelona declined a £26m option to sign him permanently following a season-long loan.
He was previously frozen out of the first-team picture by former boss Ruben Amorim.
A fresh start under Carrick
The England international has not played a competitive fixture for his parent club since a Europa League tie against Viktoria Plzen in December 2024.
Following an additional loan stint at Aston Villa, the attacker recently helped his country secure a third-place finish at the World Cup in North America.
Carrick, who played alongside the academy graduate during his debut, expressed optimism about the reunion following a 1-1 friendly draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
“I’ve played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.”
Michael Carrick
Lucrative clauses and returning stars
The returning forward remains under contract until 2028 and is reportedly set to earn an additional £4m this season due to a Champions League qualification clause.
A separate £40m release clause, which strictly prohibited transfers to rivals Manchester City or Liverpool, expired last month.
He will be joined in the Irish capital by international colleague Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez.
Both players are resuming club duties following mandatory three-week holidays after their respective international exertions.
Injury concerns ahead of Leeds friendly
The full squad will face historical rivals Leeds United in a pre-season friendly at Dublin’s Croke Park on Wednesday evening.
Carrick remains hopeful that Mason Mount will be available for the fixture after the former Chelsea playmaker limped off against PSG.
The midfielder’s early substitution was described as precautionary, and he was later seen walking freely without a protective boot.
United are currently navigating a string of absences ahead of the new campaign:
- Tom Heaton sustained a hamstring injury straight after the interval in Gothenburg.
- Manuel Ugarte remains sidelined as a long-term absentee.
- Senne Lammens and Matheus Cunha are both currently recovering from illness.
Despite these setbacks, new signing Youri Tielemans recently enjoyed an impressive debut off the bench as returning captain Bruno Fernandes also made his comeback.