Rashford’s Return and Shirt Number

By Chinedu Okafor — 10 August 2026 — 3 min read

Rashford’s Return and Shirt Number

Marcus Rashford has rejoined the Manchester United squad after a period away, including a loan spell at Barcelona. His return follows his involvement with England in the World Cup, which concluded on the final weekend. Rashford is now with the team for the next leg of their summer tour in northern Europe, having travelled to the Republic of Ireland for a pre-season training camp. He has not played a competitive fixture for Manchester United since a Europa League match in December 2024.

Upon linking up with his teammates, it became apparent that Rashford no longer held his previous squad number. His No. 10 shirt was assigned to Matheus Cunha following Cunha’s transfer to the club from Wolves for £62.5million. This situation has led to an “awkward scenario” for the England international.

Reports from Fabrizio Romano indicate that Rashford will be given the No. 14 shirt. This number holds significance as he wore it during his loan spell at Barcelona. The No. 14 jersey has been vacant at Old Trafford since Christian Eriksen departed the club at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Implications for the Upcoming Season

The assignment of the No. 14 shirt suggests that Rashford will have a role to play under Carrick in the 2026-27 season. He remains under contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2028. This potential reintegration into the squad is contingent on no bids arriving for him before the transfer window concludes.

Michael Carrick commented on Rashford’s return, stating, “I’ve played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.” He added that Rashford, along with Kobbie and Lisandro, is part of the full squad that will be together in Dublin. The team is scheduled to face Leeds United at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, potentially as early as Wednesday.

The No. 14 shirt has a history at Manchester United since fixed jersey numbers were introduced to the Premier League in 1993, with 10 permanent occupants. Andrei Kanchelskis, who was the first to wear it for the club in the division, is noted as a successful No. 14, having been a two-time Premier League champion and top-scorer for United during the 1994-95 season with 15 goals across all competitions.

Rashford is seen as a potential specialist for the left wing, a position where the squad may need options. In the 2025-26 season, Cunha, who is naturally a No. 10 or striker, and Patrick Dorgu, transitioning from left-back, were the primary options for that role.

Despite not being a first-choice starter for Barcelona, Rashford was a regular contributor during his loan spell. His best performance for United during the 2022-23 campaign saw him achieve 30 goals, making him the only player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to reach that significant single-season milestone.

As of now, there is little to suggest that an offer from a “top European club” will materialise in the remaining three weeks of the transfer window, making re-establishing himself in Manchester the immediate path for Rashford.

Source: standard.co.uk