Marcus Rashford is poised to be welcomed back into the Manchester United fold after the World Cup, with the current expectation being that he will begin the upcoming season as part of Michael Carrick’s first-team plans.
Following a fracture in the relationship between the player and the club, the 28-year-old, whose contract still has two years to run, last featured for United in a 2-1 Europa League victory away at Viktoria Plzen in December 2024. There is understood to be no friction between Rashford and Carrick.
Rashford will enjoy a three-week rest period after England’s World Cup journey concludes, and the current blueprint is for him to rejoin the United squad for pre-season training.
The club’s preferred scenario would be to lighten their payroll by moving on Rashford’s contract, which is worth close to £17.5 million annually, yet at this stage, there is a scarcity of genuinely interested parties prepared to sign him.
Rashford spent time on loan at Aston Villa in January 2025 before moving to Barcelona for the entirety of the previous season. After netting the decisive goal in Barcelona’s 2-0 triumph over Real Madrid in May, a result that clinched the La Liga crown, Rashford made it known he wanted to stay with the Catalan side permanently.
However, while a transfer fee of £26 million would have activated his buyout clause, the Spanish club instead opted to recruit Anthony Gordon, who also favors the left-wing role, in a deal worth £60.7 million plus additional performance-related payments. United have no intention of negotiating another temporary switch to Barcelona for Rashford.
Rashford’s bond with United was severely damaged after he was substituted in the 56th minute at Plzen by Ruben Amorim, with the then manager subsequently refusing to consider him for matchday duties.
The Portuguese coach offered his rationale later that December. “What matters is the performance in training, in matches, the way you present yourself, your diet, how you interact with your teammates, how you push your teammates,” Amorim stated, also characterizing Rashford’s omission as being down to “selection” choices.
Carrick’s side have six warm-up matches ahead of the new campaign, starting with a fixture against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July, the day prior to the World Cup final.
Marcus Rashford, right, last played for Manchester United in a Europa League win, above, at Viktoria Plzen in December 2024. Photograph: Petr David Josek/AP
United will then take on Rosenborg in Trondheim on 24 July, followed by Atlético Madrid in Stockholm on 1 August, Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August, Leeds United in Dublin on 12 August, and Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August. A week later, they travel to face Hull City to open their Premier League season.
Should Thomas Tuchel’s team advance all the way to the World Cup final, the earliest possible date Rashford could link back up with United would be 10 August.
Carrick was confirmed as the permanent manager in late May after initially stepping in for Amorim in a caretaker capacity in January. He steered United back into the Champions League with a third-place league finish and is enthusiastic about the season ahead.
“We know we have the capability to overcome the strongest sides in this division,” he remarked via the club’s official channels. “Now it’s about maintaining that level throughout an entire Premier League season, while simultaneously challenging for every piece of silverware on offer. I am extremely eager to lead this group forward next season and to see those iconic European nights return to Old Trafford. We are prepared to push on and deliver more of the unforgettable moments that define this club.”
Carrick’s squad are due back for pre-season training on Thursday, although those players still participating in the World Cup or on a post-tournament vacation will not be in attendance.
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