Rashford to Rejoin United in Dublin After World Cup Break | OneFootball

Marcus Rashford is expected to rejoin Manchester United’s pre-season tour for the Ireland leg, with the 28-year-old forward set to link up with Michael Carrick’s squad in time for the Leeds United friendly in Dublin on August 12, according to The Guardian.

Rashford has not played for United since a 2-1 Europa League win at Viktoria Plzen in December 2024, when he was substituted off on 56 minutes by Ruben Amorim and subsequently frozen out of the squad entirely. Loan spells at Aston Villa and then Barcelona followed, with the latter producing 14 goals – including the clincher in Barcelona’s title-sealing win over Real Madrid in May.

The Guardian reports the plan is for Rashford to return to United for pre-season after taking his mandatory three-week break following England’s World Cup campaign. With England reaching the semi-finals, the earliest he could be back in training is around August 10 – making the Dublin fixture his first realistic opportunity for minutes under Carrick.

What Rashford’s Return Means for Carrick’s Squad

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There are no reported problems between Rashford and Carrick, a notable contrast to the breakdown under Amorim. Tribal Football reported earlier this month that Carrick is willing to work with the forward, and discussions about Rashford’s pre-season status have been ongoing at the club.

Barcelona chose not to activate their purchase option despite Rashford’s performances in Catalonia, and they subsequently signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle for £60.7m. A £40m Premier League exit clause in Rashford’s contract expired without a buyer in early July. United have ruled out another loan to Barcelona and have no interest in selling below their valuation, leaving Rashford – still on wages of approximately £17.5m a year with two years remaining on his deal – without a viable exit route at present.

Pre-Season Schedule and the Milan Fixture

United’s pre-season tour has already taken in fixtures against Wrexham in Helsinki, Rosenborg in Trondheim, Atlético Madrid in Stockholm, and PSG in Gothenburg. The Ireland leg – Leeds at Croke Park on August 12 – is followed by the AC Milan friendly in Wroclaw on August 15, with United then travelling to Hull a week later to begin the Premier League season.

That schedule makes the Dublin fixture the more likely starting point for Rashford’s reintegration, with the Milan match representing a further opportunity for Carrick to assess him against top-level opposition before competitive football arrives – subject to his availability at that point. United’s preference remains a permanent sale at the right price, and a strong performance across those two games could yet shift the market in the closing weeks of the summer window.

In the meantime, United are reshaping their midfield with an agreed £48m deal for Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and a €40.5m move for Éderson from Atlanta progressing, though the Brazilian is yet to complete a medical. Carrick is also tracking Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as potential third midfield additions, with each likely to cost a minimum of £80m.