Rashford has spent the last 18 months away from Old Trafford on loan, first at Aston Villa and then at Barcelona, and so certain were both parties his Manchester United career was finished that his number 10 shirt was handed to Matheus Cunha last season.
But Barcelona chose not to trigger their £26m option to sign him permanently despite a productive loan spell in Catalonia, and the 28-year-old will now link up with United's squad in County Kildare this week as pre-season enters its final stretch.
Rashford was frozen out by Ruben Amorim last season and has not played for United since December 2024, though relations have visibly thawed over the summer.
Carrick, who played alongside Rashford at United and later coached him on the club's staff under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, appears well placed to oversee his reintegration, and the pair have stayed in touch throughout the summer.
Speaking to Scandinavian broadcaster VG after United's draw with Paris Saint-Germain, Carrick confirmed Rashford's return alongside Lisandro Martínez and Kobbie Mainoo.
"I've played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history," he said. "We have a full squad next week in Dublin.
"We fly straight there and meet Leeds on Wednesday. We have a few days in Dublin where we have the whole squad, including Marcus, Kobbie and Lisandro."
Elsewhere at the club, United's academy provided a reminder of the talent coming through, with the Under-21s thrashing Ipswich's under-21 side 5-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday.
Chido Obi, 18, scored twice, while fellow 18-year-old Jim Thwaites was also on the scoresheet. Obi joined United in 2024 following four prolific years in Arsenal's academy, having previously come through Copenhagen's youth system, and racked up 32 goals and three assists in just 18 appearances for the Gunners' Under-18s; he has since scored 13 goals in 22 appearances for United's Under-21s and made his senior debut in February 2025, going on to make eight first-team appearances.
Thwaites, meanwhile, has contributed 13 goals and four assists in 48 youth-team appearances but is yet to make his senior United debut.