Marcus Rashford to Arsenal transfer decided amid Man United decision

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford could depart Old Trafford this summer and Arsenal may be one of the clubs interested in signing the winger.

Man United have not dismissed the possibility of allowing Rashford to leave after his relationship deteriorated with manager Erik ten Hag last season, according to the MEN, and talks may be held next week with United players reporting for pre-season on Monday. The Gunners have shown interest in the 26-year-old previously and could be inclined to make a move before August 30.

football.london understands Arsenal are keen to improve the squad this window ahead of a third successive Premier League title challenge. A central midfielder remains the priority but Edu and Mikel Arteta are interested in signing a forward, too.

Rashford signed a new contract at Man United last summer, a deal until 2028 worth £325,000-per-week, so any move could be expensive and complicated. With that being said, football.london writers have their say below on whether Arsenal should move to sign Rashford this summer. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Sam Truelove

Arsenal already have Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard capable of playing on the left wing, which is probably Marcus Rashford’s best position. The England international can play as a No.9 but isn’t as effective in that role. The Gunners already have Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Kai Havertz capable of playing in that striker role, anyway.

For me, I wouldn’t sign Rashford. I don’t think Arsenal need him. Yes, he’s a great player but his form is often patchy and is he a real upgrade on Martinelli or Trossard? On last season’s form I would say no.

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At 26 Rashford still has plenty to give but he is likely to cost a fair bit. He’s currently valued at £50million by Transfermarkt but you would expect Man United to ask for much more. Instead of signing Rashford, I would opt for a young versatile forward who could also cover Bukayo Saka on the right. Not many targets stand out at this stage but if I was Edu and Mikel Arteta, I would save my money and look elsewhere.

Tom Coley

Perhaps a few years ago this would have made a lot of sense. Rashford is remarkably streaky though and only offers theoretical advantages for Arsenal.

The attack is already stacked with options and nobody, eight years on from his debut, is sure just what Rashford’s best position is. He’s not a brilliant penalty box striker but can often look lost on the left.

Arteta’s play is all about relationships and rhythm, Rashford is driven by instinct. There is still a lure to him though. It was just 12 months ago that he was coming off a 30-goal season. There are qualities to his game that make him a truly irresistible option, and Arsenal could do with more game-changers for when the opposition are that much more stubborn, sitting too deep for space to be there.

For the right price Rashford is still a great option. Arsenal could benefit from his good days and Arteta is the right sort of coach to make those more and more regular. It doesn’t feel like the sort of signing that this Arsenal make anymore though.

Joe Doyle

To be honest, I’m a little surprised that Rashford is being linked with Arsenal. While Mikel Arteta has shown his ability in turning around a previously underperforming attacker in Kai Havertz, I’m not sure Rashford will particularly suit Arsenal.

It’s pretty clear that Rashford’s best qualities are highlighted in United’s style when he’s in full flow – his direct running and wicked shot are a hugely effective tool on the counter. But with Arsenal’s style of play, I don’t think they’ll see the best of that often enough.

That being said, it could be a deal that ends up suiting everyone – if the price is right. Rashford has given his all for United, literally breaking his back in the process. But a change of scenery may be needed for him to meet his full potential.

For Arsenal, they may get a decent price for a Premier League-proven star who just needs an added push to get the best out of him. And for United, they get the chance to sell on an academy graduate, while removing a huge wage from the books of a player who hasn’t played his best football in a while.

With rumblings about Gabriel Martinelli’s future, I guess it’s prudent to consider alternatives. I just don’t think it’s a move that will end up taking place – even if stranger things have happened.

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Tom Canton

Last summer Mikel Arteta once again proved that he can take a player and turn them into something that their previous club’s fans thought simply not possible – Kai Havertz. I thought then that Arsenal did not have room nor the time for a project and was proven, gratefully, very wrong.

However, despite that humbling I look at Arsenal now and I am more sure than ever that a revival is not what this team needs. As Arsenal look to close the gap to Manchester City even more, they need guarantees over immediate returns and Marcus Rashford simply doesn’t offer that.

Then there is the finances of any potential deal which are astronomical. The potential fee combined with what could be record-breaking wages at Arsenal would make this one of the biggest moves of the summer and for a player who needs a refresh is it worth that risk in this moment? I simply cannot justify it.

Lee Wilmot

Mikel Arteta has been known to get the best out of players who have struggled elsewhere – see Kai Havertz. And they are in the market for a forward who can score goals and play across the front line.

The Gunners have been linked with Rashford before and there are a number of former players who would like Arsenal to sign him. Rashford needs a change, that is for sure, after a disappointing season with Manchester United.

It seems like a win-win for both parties. Rashford gets a change of scenery and Arsenal get the frontman they have been crying out for. But, like with Havertz, it may take some time to bring the best out of the former England man who has clearly lost his way.

If Arsenal can get that out of Rashford, however, they will have a gem on their hands.

Amie Wilson

On first glance, despite his struggles in the campaign just gone, signing Marcus Rashford would be a good move for Arsenal. He has proven he can score goals in the Premier League and can play across the front line.

The Gunners also have recent history of taking players who are struggling with their current club and turning their form around. Kai Havertz is a prime example.

But, is Rashford what Arsenal need at this moment in time? His best position is arguably on the left, that is where he has been most productive for United, Arsenal already have Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in that position, it’s the central striker role where the Gunners should be looking for more specifically – while Rashford can play there he doesn’t tend to be as effective.

He seems to have streaks of form too, and I’m not sure that will benefit Arsenal in what they will hope to be another title challenge.

For me, it depends on the price that United ask as to whether Arsenal should go for Rashford this summer. But having only put pen to paper on a new deal last year, it’s not going to be a cheap deal to get over the line.

Tom Doyle

Rashford’s talent is not up for debate; his temperament and consistency are. The forward lost sections of the Old Trafford support last season for perceived moments of petulance, too often cutting a frustrated, disinterested figure on the pitch while both he and United struggled through a turgid season. United fans will forgive a player’s technical limitations as long as the effort is there; what they won’t forgive is downing tools.

It feels as though Rashford and United both need a fresh start, but do Arsenal need to be taking a risk on the United forward? Mikel Arteta has successfully rehabilitated Kai Havertz after his Chelsea struggles: if the Arsenal boss feels he can do the same with Rashford, he has certainly earned the right to make that decision. But Rashford would not come cheap: he would cost north of £70million and commands £325,000-a-week wages, making him an expensive risk.

Arsenal and Arteta must decide if the risk is worth the reward. Rashford has the potential to score more than 20 goals a season; he has proved that at United. Whether he is the missing piece of the jigsaw is another question entirely, but if Rashford were to recover his form and love for the game in north London, it would end up being a real transfer coup – and payback for the sense of betrayal Gunners fans felt after Robin van Persie left for Old Trafford and won the title.

Matthew Abbott

If Marcus Rashford is willing to take a significant wage cut – which will already happen at Manchester United this coming season as they are not in the Champions League – then Arsenal should consider making a move. After an underwhelming last season, Rashford could be available at a more affordable price than, let’s say, 12 months ago.

While it would still be a significant investment, there are undeniable echoes of the circumstances they signed Kai Havertz last summer. United sticking with Erik ten Hag also affords Arsenal potential leverage in negotiations after the manager’s relationship with Rashford has reportedly deteriorated. Edu has to be opportunistic in the market, and at 26, Rashford could still represent good value. Adding another dynamic forward to the squad would also surely please Mikel Arteta.

That is all without addressing how much of a statement it would send about the two clubs’ respective standing in the Premier League if Arsenal can acquire a player United would prefer to keep. Rashford rediscovering his form in north London over a decade on from Robin van Persie moving in the opposite direction could be cathartic for the fanbase. Danny Welbeck did not necessarily hit the heights, and neither did swapping Alexis Sanchez for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. But that should not stop Arsenal from pursuing Rashford at the right price.