Rashford Returns as Manchester United's No9 Under Carrick

Manchester United have nailed their colours to the mast. Marcus Rashford is their No9 again.

On the eve of the Premier League opener at newly-promoted Hull, the club confirmed the England forward will wear the centre-forward’s shirt this season, a move that lands like a statement as the transfer deadline on September 1 creeps into view.

Only a year ago, Rashford’s United story looked finished. His old No10 had gone to Matheus Cunha after the Brazilian’s arrival from Wolves, Rashford had been shipped out on loan to Barcelona following a stint at Aston Villa, and he had been frozen out by then-manager Ruben Amorim. For a while, it felt like Old Trafford had moved on.

On Saturday’s matchday programme at the MKM Stadium, Rashford’s name initially appeared without a squad number. That mystery did not last. The 28-year-old now inherits a shirt steeped in United history and scrutiny.

The No9 had most recently belonged to Rasmus Hojlund, who spent last season on loan at Napoli before making that switch permanent earlier this summer. Before the Dane, it was Anthony Martial. Go back further and the list reads like a roll call of modern United forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Radamel Falcao, Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Louis Saha.

Rashford has already had a taste of it. He wore No9 in last weekend’s final pre-season friendly, a 4-2 defeat to Amorim’s AC Milan at the Wroclaw Stadium in Poland – his first appearance for United since December 2024. Now the number is his for real.

There had been talk that Benjamin Sesko might claim it, but he has chosen to stick with No30. The door opened for Rashford, and United have walked him straight through it.

Carrick’s backing and a reset

For Michael Carrick, starting his reign as permanent manager away to the Championship play-off winners in a lunchtime kick-off, the decision fits the mood of a reset.

Asked about the significance of the shirt before facing Hull, Carrick told TNT Sports: “I don't think that suggests any more than what the situation is.

“We're delighted to have Marcus back. He's looked fit, sharp and in a really good place. He offers us an awful lot so for sure we are delighted to have him.”

The club’s stance aligns with the player’s. Barcelona declined in June to trigger their £26m option to make Rashford’s loan permanent, instead turning to other targets such as his England team-mate Anthony Gordon from Newcastle. Any clause in Rashford’s contract that once allowed clubs – excluding Liverpool and Manchester City – to sign him for £40m has expired.

Rashford, believed to earn around £325,000 a week, is understood to favour staying at United rather than joining another Premier League side. The focus now is clear: impress Carrick, reclaim a central role, and quieten the noise.

There has been plenty of that. After Jamie Carragher hit back at Gary Neville this week for again bringing up Rashford on the Stick to Football podcast, the forward took to social media, writing: “Thanks, Jamie. It would be great to be able to get my head down and play football without my name being mentioned every day.”

New numbers, new season

United’s wider squad reshuffle underlines the sense of a fresh chapter. New signings Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow take 17, 18 and 12 respectively. Highly rated 15-year-old JJ Gabriel is handed 77, while fellow youngster Shea Lacey moves to 31.

But it is the No9 that carries the weight.

From being listed without a number to becoming the figurehead of United’s attack again, Rashford’s journey has swung sharply in a few weeks. The shirt on his back at Hull will say as much about the club’s faith in him as any press conference ever could.

Now the question is simple: can he make that number his in a way none of his predecessors have truly managed since the glory years?