Rashford’s Return and Maguire’s Support
Harry Maguire has expressed strong support for Marcus Rashford remaining at Manchester United, following the 28-year-old’s first appearance for the club in 20 months. Rashford played 30 minutes as a substitute in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to AC Milan, which was United’s final pre-season fixture. His last game for the club before this was in December 2024 against Viktoria Plzen.
Maguire, who has been a teammate of Rashford’s since 2019, believes Rashford can significantly enhance the team. He noted Rashford’s ability to threaten the opposition’s back line, even suggesting he could have scored against Milan. Maguire emphasised Rashford’s value as a “huge threat” if he stays with the team, acknowledging the transfer window remains open.
Rashford wore the number 9 shirt during the match, though Premier League numbers are not finalised until just before the competition begins. His comeback against Milan is seen as a significant step towards his full competitive reintegration into the squad.
Tielemans’ Surprise Move to Old Trafford
Meanwhile, new signing Youri Tielemans has spoken about his unexpected transfer to Manchester United from Aston Villa. The midfielder, who has eight years of Premier League experience, joined United due to a release clause valued at £35m. Tielemans stated he did not anticipate leaving Villa this transfer window, having been focused on the World Cup.
Tielemans revealed that he had previously spoken with United on two occasions, but no move materialised at those times. He explained that his agent handled the recent negotiations, and he was only made aware once the move was accepted. He expressed gratitude to Aston Villa for helping him return to his best form, but acknowledged United as a club above Villa, noting the positive atmosphere surrounding Old Trafford.
The Belgian midfielder also captained Belgium at this summer’s World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Spain. He missed the quarter-final due to an injury sustained in the warm-up, which he attributed to an overload of games and minutes.
Reunions and Future Prospects
Tielemans has reunited with former teammate Jonny Evans at Manchester United, who is now part of Michael Carrick’s backroom staff. Tielemans spent four and a half years with Evans at Leicester and described him as a “main character” who helped him settle in both clubs. He also shared the pitch with Marcus Rashford during Rashford’s loan spell at Aston Villa in the second half of the 2024/25 season.
Tielemans spoke positively about Rashford’s time at Villa, describing him as humble and hardworking, with impressive touch and acceleration. He hopes Rashford can bring these qualities back to United. Lionesses legend Fara Williams also praised United’s decision regarding Rashford, suggesting his return could be akin to a new signing for the club.
The pre-season concluded with a 4-2 loss to AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, a match Maguire described as their “worst performance” of pre-season. Despite the result, Maguire highlighted the importance of emerging injury-free and getting minutes into the players’ legs ahead of the Premier League season, which starts next week with an away fixture at Hull.
Source: nytimes.com
