Marcus Rashford appears set to be included in Manchester United's matchday squad this weekend as Michael Carrick prepares for his first game in permanent charge of the club, with the head coach dropping strong hints that the forward is ready to return to first-team action.
United travel to newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday lunchtime in what will be Carrick's opening fixture since taking the reins on a permanent basis. Rashford, 28, has been working his way back into contention after completing his reintegration into the first-team squad last week, having spent much of the past year away from Old Trafford.
The England international last played for his boyhood club in December 2024, when he found himself at odds with then-manager Ruben Amorim. That fallout led to a loan move to Aston Villa for the remainder of the campaign, before Rashford was frozen out entirely and placed in what became known as Amorim's 'bomb squad' last summer. He subsequently joined Barcelona on a season-long loan with an option to buy, impressing at times in La Liga, though the Spanish club ultimately opted not to trigger a permanent transfer.
His return to Manchester has been closely watched, and Carrick used a press conference to praise the winger's condition and attitude since rejoining the group. Rashford had already made a substitute appearance in United's 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, a game notable for pitting the Red Devils against Amorim, who now manages the Italian side.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his long-term future — with the transfer window remaining open until September 1 — Carrick indicated he is happy to have Rashford available as part of his squad for the coming campaign.
"It has been pretty obvious that Marcus came back training with Kobbie [Mainoo] and Licha [Martinez] pretty much in Dublin and that he has come back fantastically well," Carrick said. "He is enjoying his football, he looks fit, strong and looks ready to play football. I have been delighted with him since he came back."
The United boss also addressed where Rashford might fit into his attacking plans, suggesting the forward's versatility could prove valuable across the frontline. "Of course, he can play through the middle, he has done. I wouldn't say it is naturally his No1 position, but he can do that," Carrick explained. "I think we have got forwards that give us that flexibility right across the frontline that we have used all of them pretty much in slightly different roles. I think for us to have that option is really good going through the season."
Rashford's potential involvement comes at a time when United face something of a selection headache up front. Benjamin Sesko is only gradually recovering from a shin problem that disrupted the closing stages of his debut season in English football, while both Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are capable of operating as central strikers, adding further competition for places.
Rashford's stock had risen over the summer following his participation for England at the World Cup, where he featured six times as the Three Lions reached the semi-finals. That form, combined with his fitness and evident hunger to reclaim a place in Carrick's plans, appears to have persuaded the new head coach that the forward deserves another chance at Old Trafford, even as questions linger over whether his long-term future lies elsewhere.
Based on reporting from standard-football.