Manchester United defender Harry Maguire says he wants Marcus Rashford to remain at Old Trafford, arguing that the forward can still improve the squad after returning from a season and a half away from the club. Rashford came off the bench for his first Manchester United appearance since December 2024 during a 4-2 pre-season defeat by AC Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August 2026, according to ESPN. His comeback came with the transfer window still open ahead of the 1 September 2026 deadline, leaving his long-term future unresolved.
Handed the number nine shirt by caretaker head coach Michael Carrick, Rashford produced a moment of skill by the corner flag and almost scored during his time on the pitch. Manchester United officials stressed afterwards that the number nine was not being assigned to him permanently, particularly since striker Benjamin Sesko - originally expected to wear it this season - was unavailable through injury on the day.
Even with that clarification, the episode highlighted how unsettled Rashford's situation remains before the transfer window shuts. Carrick admitted last week that he could not say for certain whether the England international will stay at the club, and Maguire echoed that uncertainty while making clear his own preference.
"Obviously the transfer window is still open," said Maguire. "As players, we hope he stays because if he does, he is a big asset to have. He can improve us for sure."
"You saw when he came on, he threatened the backline really well. He could have scored. He's a huge threat."
"I've played with Marcus for numerous years and I know that playing against him and playing with him in training is going to help us."
Will Rashford stay at Manchester United?
The picture around Rashford's future has shifted in recent days, though it remains far from settled. According to a report from a national newspaper's football desk, Carrick told reporters United will not pursue a £100m signing this summer and insisted Rashford "is our player," even though the same report suggests both the club and the forward privately favour a move away. The report also states that Rashford has rejoined the squad at United's training camp in County Kildare following a break after the World Cup, and that relations between the player and the club have eased since his return.
Adding further complexity, Rashford remains under contract with Manchester United until 2028, with the final two years of that deal reportedly worth £35m, according to the same report. Despite the uncertainty over his role, United have given Rashford the number 14 shirt for the 2026-27 campaign, according to Football Transfers - a detail that sits alongside the number nine shirt he wore against AC Milan and underlines how unresolved his squad status still is. The same outlet reports that Rashford has turned down transfer proposals from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia this summer.
How did Manchester United perform against AC Milan?
Maguire's enthusiasm for Rashford's return was tempered by what he called Manchester United's "worst" pre-season performance, arriving just a week before the team's Premier League opener away at Hull. Captain Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty for the second consecutive match, a miss that would have made it 2-1 before half-time, although his combination play with Youri Tielemans offered some encouragement as both midfielders played the full 90 minutes together for the first time.
"We're wanting to play much further up the pitch, be more aggressive and more on the front foot," said Maguire.
"This was the only game where I didn't feel we did ourselves justice in that aspect. We had a lot of high regains and created a lot of chances from that, but we didn't sustain our pressure anywhere close to enough."
Across a lengthy five-week, six-match pre-season schedule, Maguire captained the side in the early fixtures while Fernandes was absent, a role some see as a sign he could take on the vice-captaincy this season, though the club has yet to confirm any such arrangement.
What is the background to Rashford's absence from Manchester United?
Rashford's return to the matchday squad comes after a season and a half away from Old Trafford, during which he spent loan spells at Barcelona and Aston Villa following a breakdown in his relationship with then-head coach Ruben Amorim and the club's executive staff, according to the report from a national newspaper's football desk. That fallout was evident even before the AC Milan game kicked off in Wroclaw, when Amorim - now managing on the other side of the pitch - crossed paths with two of the players he fell out with during his time in charge.
Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, both of whom clashed with Amorim during his tenure, were on the opposite side of the pitch acknowledging supporters when the Portuguese manager encountered some of his former squad as they left the field after the pre-match presentations. Several warm embraces followed between Amorim, his former players and his coaching staff.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport after the game, Amorim reflected on his time at United.
"I'm proud to have been at Manchester United and I still love Manchester United."
Amorim also greeted journalists he recognised from his time in England, joking about missing the English press pack and laughing that press conferences "are more boring" without him. Maguire, for his part, had nothing negative to say about his former manager's 14-month spell in charge.
"It was great to see him and all his staff," he said.
"I got on with Ruben really well and all his staff. I am happy he has another chance to impress and show everyone what a great manager he is. I'm sure he's going to be a success."
"I have nothing bad to say about Ruben. It just didn't work out at Manchester United."
"But he's got a massive club now. I'll be following them and hope they have an amazing season."
What happens next?
The transfer window closes on 1 September 2026, and that deadline remains the key date by which any final decision on Rashford's Manchester United future is likely to be made. In the meantime, Carrick's side turn their attention to the start of the Premier League season, with their opening fixture away at Hull the next scheduled test of the improvements Maguire says the squad still needs to make.
Key Facts
- Marcus Rashford made his first Manchester United appearance since December 2024 in a 4-2 pre-season defeat by AC Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August 2026.
- Rashford wore the number nine shirt against AC Milan but has been given the number 14 shirt for the 2026-27 season, according to Football Transfers.
- He remains under contract until 2028, with the final two years of the deal reportedly worth £35m.
- The transfer window closes on 1 September 2026, the deadline for any move to be completed.
- Manchester United's next fixture is their Premier League opener away at Hull.
