Manchester United confirm new Marcus Rashford shirt number in major transfer hint

Marcus Rashford has been handed the vacant No9 shirt by Manchester United ahead of the new Premier League season.

Man Utd confirmed the decision ahead of Saturday’s opening fixture away at newly-promoted Hull , in what is surely a clear sign that the England forward will not be leaving Old Trafford ahead of the summer transfer deadline on September 1.

Rashford’s old No10 shirt went to Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha when the latter joined the club from Wolves last summer, with Rashford loaned out to Barcelona after a stint at Aston Villa and his United career seemingly at an end after being frozen out by former boss Ruben Amorim.

Rashford was listed without a squad number on Saturday’s matchday programme at the MKM Stadium, where Michael Carrick’s reign as permanent manager begins against the Championship play-off winners in a lunchtime kick-off.

The United No9 jersey was previously occupied by Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund, who spent last season on loan at Napoli and joined the Serie A club on a permanent transfer earlier this summer.

Rashford wore the same number against Amorim’s AC Milan on his first appearance for United since December 2024 in a final pre-season friendly in Poland last weekend, which they lost 4-2 at the Wroclaw Stadium.