Marcus Rashford's Manchester United Comeback: Michael Carrick Ready to Use Him

Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United career is back on the table – and this time, Michael Carrick sounds ready to use him.

The forward travelled with United’s squad to Dublin for Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United but stayed on the bench, a quiet presence on a night that still felt like a small step towards something bigger. Carrick’s words afterwards made that 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, underlining that Rashford is not just passing through pre-season. “He's been in great spirits since he's been back, he's been back two or three days.”

For a player who has not kicked a ball for United since December 2024, that line about “our player” matters. Rashford has spent the last 18 months living a very different footballing life: six months at Aston Villa, then a full season at Barcelona, where he played his way into a title-winning side.

At Camp Nou, he rebuilt his numbers and his reputation. Eight goals and seven assists in 32 LaLiga appearances, plus five goals and three assists in the Champions League, reminded everyone why top Premier League clubs kept circling. Tottenham Hotspur were among those linked earlier in this transfer window, sensing an opportunity if United chose to cash in.

United have not. Instead, Carrick now has a refreshed England international back in his dressing room, one who returned to training this week after his World Cup duties and looks set to be involved in the final stages of pre-season.

Upcoming Match

All eyes turn to Wroclaw on Saturday. United face AC Milan in their last friendly before the serious business starts, and Rashford is in line to make his first appearance in red for more than a year and a half.

There is an extra twist. In the opposite dugout will be Ruben Amorim, the former United boss who froze Rashford out at Old Trafford and effectively nudged him towards that loan spell in Spain. A reunion, of sorts. A chance, perhaps, for Rashford to show what Amorim let go.

Carrick will not dwell on that storyline publicly, but he knows what a fully engaged Rashford can offer. Pace. Direct running. A different angle in the final third. A player who, even after time away, still feels like unfinished business at Old Trafford.

Pre-season friendlies rarely carry real edge. This one might, especially if Rashford finally steps over the white line.