Marcus Rashford is set to return to the Manchester United squad after spending 18 months away.
Manager Michael Carrick confirmed that the forward will join the squad at their pre-season camp in Dublin this week. United have played four pre-season games so far and will have their full squad for the final two before the start of the Premier League campaign.
Rashford has not been part of United’s first-team group since joining Aston Villa in January 2025 and then moving to Barcelona later in the summer.
He is set to be reintegrated after Barcelona turned down the offer to sign him, but like all of the United players who participated in the later stages of the World Cup, he has been away on a summer break.
Carrick confirmed Rashford would be in Dublin in his media duties after Saturday’s friendly against Paris Saint-Germain.
“I’ve played with him,” Carrick said. “I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history. We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that.”
A fine solo effort from Marcus 👌#MUFC || #UEL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 4, 2024
Barcelona decided not to exercise their €30m option to sign Rashford permanently after his loan spell last season. He therefore returns to United, where he remains under contract until 2028. A departure this transfer window is not completely ruled out, but every indication is that Rashford will be a part of the squad for the entire season.
But how will the 28-year-old fit back into United’s squad?
Rashford operates almost solely on the left side of attack, despite his footballing profile reading that he can play across the front line. It was on the left he played almost all of his minutes at Barcelona, where he produced 14 goals and 14 assists.
At United, there are already two left-sided forwards. The first is Matheus Cunha, who thrilled United fans last season after joining from Wolves.
The other is Patrick Dorgu, who has had a phenomenal year and in whom many viewers see promising signs of a young Gareth Bale. He kept Cunha out of the team briefly last season before suffering an unfortunate injury.
Dorgu operated largely as a wing-back under Amorim before proving himself to be a solid forward player. Carrick has shown little inclination since to play him as a left-back, even though he can play there.
On his return, then, Rashford will have to compete with Dorgu and Cunha on the left.
There are three positives attached to this. The first is that United have at least 48 games to play next season: 38 in the Premier League, one each in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, and eight in the Champions League.
The number could easily increase to 60 if United make deep runs in the two domestic cups and qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Therefore, three options at the left wing are a good thing.
Tielemans’ Touches™️ pic.twitter.com/J1sLioj668
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 8, 2026
Secondly, Rashford, Cunha and Dorgu could all still fit into an XI. Cunha showed last season that he has a tendency to drift inside into central positions. He is not an out-and-out winger who will hold the width near the byline.
Carrick could therefore use him as a false nine, depending on the tactical requirements of the game, resting Benjamin Sesko and rotating Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo on the right.
In the same game, Dorgu could play as a left back, replacing Luke Shaw. In the past, Carrick has shown he loves to play one of his full-backs higher up the pitch while the other one tucks in deeper.
Dorgu, with his abilities in the final third, could be the left-back who pushes up, while either Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui play slightly deeper. In that position they could even play a bit of an inverted role, covering the flanks but also stepping into midfield when necessary to provide extra bodies there.
Rashford will be putting on the red shirt again next season, and by all indication the 28-year-old will be a seamless addition to the squad.
