Marcus Rashford is expected to report for Manchester United’s preseason training after the World Cup, according to a report from The Guardian. That’s not the ending anyone saw coming when he was celebrating a La Liga title in May with Barcelona, a club he made clear he wanted to stay with.
Rashford hasn’t played for United since December 2024, when then-manager Ruben Amorim hooked him in the 56th minute against Viktoria Plzen and essentially froze him out. A loan spell at Aston Villa followed in January 2025, then Barcelona took him for the full 2025-26 season. Now he’s 28, still under contract at Old Trafford for two more years, and the path back to the first team is suddenly real.
What happened with Barcelona
There was a £26 million release clause in Rashford’s loan deal. Barcelona had the option to make it permanent. They chose not to. Instead, they spent £60.7 million plus add-ons on Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, who plays the same left-sided attacking role. The message was clear enough, even if Rashford had just scored the goal that sealed the title in a 2-0 Clasico win.
United, for their part, has told Barcelona there won’t be another loan. The club would prefer to move Rashford’s salary — roughly £17.5 million per year — off the books entirely. The problem, per The Guardian, is that there aren’t many clubs lining up to match those terms.
Carrick’s reset at Carrington
Michael Carrick was named permanent manager in May after guiding United to a third-place finish and a Champions League spot. He’s already started tightening standards around the training ground. The Guardian report says there’s no personal tension between Carrick and Rashford. The plan is simple: let Rashford report, let him train, and see where he fits.
Rashford will take a three-week break after England’s World Cup run ends, then join the squad. United’s preseason opener against Wrexham in Helsinki is July 18, the day before the World Cup final. If England goes all the way, Rashford couldn’t report back before August 10 at the earliest. That’s tight but workable.
Midfield moves in the background
Separately, United has agreed a £48 million deal plus add-ons for Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, who’s already agreed personal terms. Éderson from Atlanta is coming for an initial €40.5 million, though he hasn’t completed a medical yet. Carrick still wants a more experienced midfield option too, with Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton both carrying £80 million-plus price tags.
For Rashford, the simplest outcome right now is just showing up to Carrington and putting in the work. Two years left on his deal, no permanent offer from Barcelona, limited interest elsewhere at his current wages. United gets a player who’s won at the highest level and has something to prove. Whether that translates into actual minutes under Carrick is still an open question.
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