Carrick provides Rashford transfer update with telling Man Utd statement

Michael Carrick has suggested that Marcus Rashford will stay at Manchester United, reiterating that he's 'our player'. Rashford, 28, returned to United for pre-season training on Monday after months of speculation over his future.

The England international hoped to join Barcelona on a permanent basis, but the La Liga champions chose not to active their £26million option to buy clause following his season-long loan. United subsequently slapped a £40m price tag on Rashford, yet nothing has come to fruition with less than three weeks until the summer transfer window closes.

Now back with his United team-mates, the forward looks set to remain at Old Trafford for the long term. Rashford could make his first appearance for his boyhood club since December 2024 when United take on AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday, having not been ready for Wednesday's game against Leeds in Dublin.

At Croke Park, Carrick was quizzed on Rashford's future and told ITV Sport: "He's our player and he's come back great. He's just like any other player.

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"I've known Marcus a long time and he gives us something a little bit different. And he's been in great spirits since he's been back. He's been back two or three days training and it's just pretty normal, to be honest. And we're looking forward to the start of the season."

Carrick played alongside Rashford when he broke into the first-team as a teenager before coaching him under both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The United manager will be hoping to get the best out of Rashford, who scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 49 appearances for Barcelona.

But instead of signing him permanently, Barca have gone in a different direction. Hansi Flick has welcomed Newcastle star Anthony Gordon for £69m and Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi for £19m, reshaping his side's attack following the departures of Rashford, Robert Lewandowski and soon Ferran Torres, who's poised to join Paris Saint-Germain.

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Flick said last month after Barca signed Gordon: "You don't know what happens with players who are on loan - our situation is not easy for that.

"But I appreciate working with him. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic person. The team miss him, I will miss him, but it is life. This is what we have to accept.

"And in the end, Anthony Gordon comes and from the first call with him when I spoke with him, he is on fire with Barca and I'm really happy that he's on our team."