Michael Carrick drops Marcus Rashford hint as Manchester United return approaches

Michael Carrick has said that Marcus Rashford could play as a centre-forward as the England international gears up for his competitive Manchester United return.

Rashford, 28, has not featured for his boyhood club since December 2024, where he fell out with then-manager Ruben Amorim.

He was subsequently shipped out on loan to Aston Villa for the remainder of that season, before he became part of the Portuguese’s ‘bomb squad’ in the summer last year.

Rashford then moved to Barcelona for the season on a loan with buy option deal, but the La Liga outfit decided against signing the winger permanently, despite some strong performances in Spain.

Now, he has been welcomed back to Old Trafford by Carrick, who has a decision to make as he prepares to oversee his first match as permanent head coach this weekend.

United travel to newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday lunchtime, and Rashford is in line to make the matchday squad after completing his comeback to the first-team fold last week.

Back involved: Marcus Rashford Getty The England star, who featured six times at this summer’s World Cup en route to the semi-finals, came off the substitutes’ bench in the Red Devils’ 4-2 defeat by AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, where United were beaten by their former coach, Amorim.

Questions remain over Rashford’s future at Old Trafford, with the transfer window open until September 1, but Carrick seems content to have him part of his squad this term.

"It has been pretty obvious that Marcus came back training with Kobbie [Mainoo] and Licha [Martinez] pretty much in Dublinl and that he has come back fantastically well,” Carrick said of him.

"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.

"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.

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"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.