Paul Ince Advocates for Rashford's Revival Under Carrick
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future hangs in the balance, but Paul Ince is adamant: this is not the moment to cut ties with a homegrown talent who still has gears to find.
United are actively exploring ways to move the winger on after his loan spell at Barcelona came to an end. Barca, impressed but unconvinced enough to commit, turned to Anthony Gordon instead of making Rashford’s stay permanent. For many, that looked like the final nudge towards an Old Trafford exit.
Not for Ince.
The former United midfielder believes the club are on the verge of making the wrong call on a player he still views as a potential match-winner – especially under Michael Carrick.
Carrick, the arm around the shoulder
Ince is convinced Carrick is exactly the type of manager Rashford needs at this stage of his career: calm, intelligent, and quietly authoritative. A manager who can strip away the noise and rebuild a player’s confidence from the inside out.
"I just think Michael Carrick can get the best out of him, I really, really do," Ince told Oddschecker. For him, the formula is simple, old-school man-management. "I think if you just put your arm around Rashford then you’re going to see a very, very good player. Fingers crossed that’s the case. But there’s one thing for sure, he is a very, very talented player and if he’s happy, he will perform for you."
That last line is the crux of the argument. Happiness. Belief. A manager who trusts him. Ince is certain Carrick can provide that environment at Rashford’s boyhood club.
Barcelona high, transfer blow
Rashford’s loan spell in Spain did not end with the permanent move many expected, but it did restore his reputation on the pitch. He scored regularly, drifted across the frontline, and looked liberated in a system that allowed him to attack defenders from both flanks.
"I feel for Rashford, I really do, because I think he’s a fantastic player," Ince said. "He can play off the left and he can play off the right. I’m not sure if many people watched him last year playing for Barcelona but he was scoring goals, he was enjoying himself, and he looked a completely different player."
The story seemed set: Barca liked what they saw, Rashford liked life in Spain, and a permanent deal felt inevitable. Then came the twist.
"Then when you think Barcelona are going to sign him they get Anthony Gordon and it kills Rashford," Ince added. The emotional punch of that decision is obvious. One moment you’re the future of the attack, the next you’re the one that got away, not because of form, but because the club chose someone else.
Ince hasn’t forgotten the bigger picture either. "You saw in the World Cup the magic he can bring, he’s got that talent." The flashes are there. The question is who can turn flashes into a season.
United’s dilemma
Back at Old Trafford, the mood is more pragmatic. United are weighing their options in a summer window that could reshape the squad again. Rashford sits right at the centre of that debate: cash in now, or back a manager to restore a player who has already shown he can be elite?
Carrick’s recent work gives Ince confidence. The United manager steered the club to a third-place finish in the Premier League last season, dragging them back into the Champions League and restoring some sense of direction after years of drift. He has already proved he can organise, motivate and steady the ship.
Now comes the harder part: rejuvenating individuals, not just the collective.
If Rashford stays, Carrick has a project on his hands – a forward who thrived in Spain, bruised by a collapsed move, returning to a fanbase that has seen both his brilliance and his struggles up close.
United open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign on August 22 against newly-promoted Hull City. That date now carries an extra layer of intrigue. Will Rashford be lining up in red, given one more chance to reignite his Old Trafford story under Carrick? Or will that night mark the beginning of a new era without one of their most gifted academy graduates?
