Marcus Rashford is back in Manchester United's training picture after 18 months away from proper first-team work. He has not played for United since December 2024, and this week is set to decide whether the reunion turns into a full comeback or another pause in the story.
Carrick's role in the return
The move back into the squad is being framed as Rashford's first proper United session for 18 months. He returned to United's squad for the first time on Sunday, is due to do physical testing on Monday, and is expected to join group training on Tuesday.
Michael Carrick's presence has helped smooth that process. As one source put it, Carrick is "a calm, pragmatic figure" with a long and positive history with Rashford, and the two have spoken during the summer. Rashford is also said to be willing to "walk through it and play his part."
There is a football case for it as well. United won three and drew one of their last five league matches in 2025, finished third in the Premier League with 71 points, and scored 69 league goals. Rashford has also had six appearances in 2026, with 231 minutes, one goal and one assist, so this is not a cold return from nothing.
The shirt and the next call
The optics around the comeback have changed too. Rashford is reportedly set to take the No. 14 shirt, the number he wore at Barcelona last season, after United had already handed No. 10 to Mason Mount.
The exact timing of his first appearance back is still disputed. One report points to Leeds in Dublin, another points to AC Milan in Wroclaw, so there is still no settled answer on which match will carry the reunion. What is clear is that United are treating this week as the point where the picture sharpens, with testing and training likely to shape whether Rashford is fully reintegrated or left available for a late-window exit.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
