RASH DECISION! Tielemans sends clear Rashford message to Carrick after Man Utd reunion

Youri Tielemans is enjoying being reunited with Marcus Rashford at Manchester United and believes he can make a big impact if given the chance at Old Trafford this season.

Rashford is back in the fold at his boyhood club, returning this week to first-team training after spending the last 18 months out on loan and being ostracised by former United boss Ruben Amorim. The academy graduate, whose long-term future remains in question, spent last season on loan at Barcelona, who rejected the chance to make the move permanent for £26million.

Before then, the England international played alongside Tielemans for Aston Villa in the second half of 2024-25, moving to the Midlands at a time when Rashford was making headlines off the pitch after a tumultuous falling out with Amorim.

Under intense scrutiny, Rashford played his part in Villa's run to the Champions League quarter-finals - losing to eventual winners PSG - and Tielemans admits being impressed by the impact he made in a short period, amid intense scrutiny.

"He was great," he said. "There had been so much talk about him and bringing pressure and the media around him, but I thought he was just so good. He was very humble, he was just hard working, and from the first training you could tell his touch, his acceleration was just amazing. That was just what we needed at the time at Villa as well, so he did many good things in that time and hopefully he can bring them here."

Rashford isn't the only familiar face to Tielemans at United, having also played with both Harry Maguire and first-team coach Jonny Evans at previous club Leicester City.

"I played with Harry for just a bit less than six months and it was great at the time," he added. "You could see him and Jonny had a great partnership. Harry was younger at the time and Jonny was guiding him a bit more, but you could see his qualities on the ball.

"Defensively, he is rock solid, so I think he has improved a lot over the years as well. On Jonny, Jonny has always been a main character. He has always been trying to educate young players and he welcomed me at Leicester, and now here.

"It is a bit weird to see him as staff member, to be honest, but no, it is going great. He knows me, he knows what I need and what I can bring to the team, so it helps me as well."

For Tielemans, joining United is a case of third time lucky, having previously held talks over a move to Old Trafford twice before his switch this summer.

"It is a great achievement for any player to end up here," he says. "T here has been two times that I spoke with the club, but it did not achieve to anything.

"When a move comes up, then if it needs to happen, it will happen. At the times that I have been linked with the club before, it did not happen, but it is what it is."

READ MORE: What Marcus Rashford really thinks about staying at Manchester United this season

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