Carrick says 'fit and sharp' Rashford will be 'good option' for Man Utd this season

Michael Carrick says Marcus Rashford "has come back exceptionally well" and he will give a "good option" for Manchester United over the season.

The United manager one again spoke positively about the United striker who now appears set to remain over the next season.

It has been a surprising turnaround that has come about after Barcelona decided against making Rashford's loan move permanent.

Both United and the player appeared to be happy to go separate ways but with United unwilling to sell Rashford to a rival in the Premier League and no other foreign club with stature showing interest, he has joined training under Carrick.

And Carrick told a press conference ahead of the first Premier League game of the season against Hull: "He has come back fantastically well, he is enjoying his football, he looks fit, he looks sharp, he looks strong, he looks ready to play football, I've been delighted with him since he has come back."

Rashford was benched under Ruben Amorim and then he first moved on loan to Aston Villa before Barcelona, but in Carrick he has a coach who believes in him.

Carrick has previously told how they have plenty of "history" having also played in the same United team together.

And Carrick commented on how Rashford can play different roles across the forward line.

He continued: "Of course he can play through the middle, he has done, I wouldn't say it was necessarily his number one position, he can do that and we have forwards that give us that flexibility right across the front line that we have used in slightly differently roles.

"I think for us to have that option is good throughout the season obviously."

There is concern from many fans that the club has not reinforced sufficiently to meet the demands of also playing in the Champions League over the next season and Carrick said the aim is still to strengthen during this transfer window.

“I just think we’re looking to strengthen the squad,” Carricksaid when particular areas were put to him.“We’re certainly working towards that and making the most of the situation that we have, and trying to improve things and trying to move forward.

“Certainly trying to make most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it, and I think we’re in a good way to doing that so far.”

United have bolstered the squad with the signings of Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Karl Darlow, but no first-team arrivals have followed that mid-July flurry.

They have this week stepped up a move for Brighton midfielder Baleba and a deal is understood to be close, but there are still gaps, such as another left-back, that needed to be filled.

United are known to be tracking Lewis Hall at Newcastle and Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal while Alejandro Balde of Barcelona has also joined those names.