Michael Carrick breaks silence on Marcus Rashford’s Man Utd return after Barcelona snub

Rashford has officially returned to United pre-season training after concluding his post-World Cup break. Carrick insisted the forward remains part of his squad following his loan spell with Barcelona last season.

The Catalan club ultimately decided against activating a £26 million option to make the move permanent. Barcelona instead chose to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, leaving Rashford facing an uncertain future back at Old Trafford.

Despite the speculation surrounding his situation, Carrick confirmed that the England international has rejoined the squad without any fuss. The manager expects the forward to contribute as the Redd Devils prepare for the upcoming campaign.

Speaking to ITV Sport following United's pre-season friendly against Leeds on Wednesday, Carrick revealed that the 28-year-old has returned to Carrington in a positive mood. Carrick highlighted their established professional relationship.

"He's our player, you know, and he's come back great. He's just like any other player," Carrick explained. "I've known Marcus a long time and, you know, he gives us something a little bit different. And he's been in great spirits since he's been back.

"He's been back two or three days training and it's just pretty normal, to be honest. And we're looking forward to the start of the season."

Carrick holds a long history with the academy graduate at Old Trafford. The two were former team-mates before Carrick coached him under Jose Mourinho and later managed him during a brief caretaker spell.

United had originally hoped to offload Rashford permanently for the £26m fee built into his Barcelona loan deal. The Spanish side's decision to pursue alternative options left the Red Devils with the high-earning forward still on their books. Rashford currently has two years remaining on his £325,000-per-week contract at Old Trafford. That deal was signed in the summer of 2023 after he produced a standout 30-goal season for the club.

The forward was omitted from United's squad for the pre-season clash against Leeds on Wednesday. However, he could line up in a Manchester United shirt for the first time since December 2024 this coming weekend.

United travel to Poland for their final pre-season fixture of the summer against Serie A giants AC Milan. Carrick maintained that the door was open for Rashford to play. Featuring in Poland would provide Rashford with crucial minutes ahead of the new domestic season. The attacker will look to build match sharpness and re-establish his role within Carrick's plans.