Marcus Rashford handed Manchester United No.9 after return

Marcus Rashford has been handed the No.9 shirt by Manchester United, the club confirmed on August 22, 2026, following his return to the first-team squad. The England forward's long-term future at Old Trafford remains uncertain, as he is not yet guaranteed a place beyond the end of the summer transfer window.

Rashford wore the No.9 during Manchester United's friendly against AC Milan last weekend, his first appearance for the club since December 2024. The shirt was initially described by the club as temporary, but it has now been officially registered with the Premier League. Manager Michael Carrick has spoken positively about Rashford's attitude and performances since his comeback, and the 28-year-old remains part of the first-team setup.

Manager Michael Carrick said: "He's a very good player, and I think if you're going to have a career over 10 or 15 years, there's going to be times when things go in a direction and maybe a different direction." "I think there are ups and downs, and that doesn't judge you as a one-off kind of judgment. It's what happens over time, and now we're in a positive place as a group, and Marcus can offer us so much. He has done, and he can do again, so in that respect, it's quite exciting. He's our player. He arrived back with Kobbie [Mainoo], and Lisandro [Martinez] came the day after, and he's part of the group like anybody else. He came in, he's trained really well," said Carrick.

The No.9 shirt became available after Rasmus Hojlund moved to Napoli. Rashford previously wore United's No.10 before spending time on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona, and that No.10 has since been taken by summer signing Matheus Cunha.

Rasmus Hojlund had inherited the No.9 following Anthony Martial's departure from United in 2024, but his association with the number lasted only one full season before Ruben Amorim decided to move him out of his plans. Rashford now joins a group of senior United players to have worn the No.9 during the Premier League era, a list that includes Andy Cole, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dimitar Berbatov, with Sir Bobby Charlton also among the club's former No.9s.

Despite ongoing uncertainty over his longer-term role, Rashford remains under contract at Manchester United for two more years, a deal that is reportedly worth £325,000 a week.