Will Marcus Rashford Join Arsenal?
Arsenal wants to take in Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, whose poor performance has strained his relationship with Old Trafford. The 24-year-old has only netted five goals over the season and has received less game time.
Marcus RashfordUnited’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick might send him away from the club that has made him miserable. He wants to work with Gareth Southgate before the beginning of the 2022 World Cup in order to seek clarity. Reports suggest that his potential move to Arsenal might offer him an escape route.
Which Club Should Rashford Join?
The Gunners are in search of a new striker after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang exited the club. Mikel Arteta could invite Rashford to fill in. However, his contract with United expires in less than a year due to which Arsenal will face tough competition from other clubs such as Liverpool, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Furthermore, former England goalkeeper David James thinks he would make a better fit for Liverpool.
“Therefore, again, when you look at the likes of Liverpool’s fluidity, he could actually play wide, and in the middle, and essentially do anything he wants to do if he was playing in that Liverpool side," as stated by James. Despite the dip in his performance, Marcus Rashford will be most likely retained by United. As compared to 36 goal contributions in 57 games last season, he’s scored just 7 in 26 this term.
When United finds its new manager, he might employ new gameplay strategies to redeem Rashford's previous form. However, there is also a possibility he might leave considering how the club is welcoming new players this season. Over a year ago, the CIES Football Observatory tagged him as the most expensive footballer on the planet, with a transfer charge of £150 million. Liverpool and Arsenal are rumored to be the clubs vying for his attention.
Arteta Might Push Rashford to Improve
Although the possibility leans more towards Arsenal than Liverpool, either of them could be beneficial for Rashford. The Gunners require attacking reinforcements at the moment and Liverpool is filled with such players. So both Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta might be rooting for him. Manchester United will try their best to keep him with the help of the regime created by the new manager. However, Arteta signing him up might put the manager in a weak position. He would have to take accountability in case Rashford does not perform due to the transfer amount of around £60million. Hence, the pressure would be mounting on Arteta to get the best out of his new recruit.
Moreover, both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are leaving Arsenal in the summer at the end of their contracts, so Arteta will be focused on recruiting senior strikers at the club for next season. Rashford can be positioned anywhere across the front three. Besides, he has ample experience as a striker so his transfer to Arsenal seems very likely. Finally, to enter the Qatar World Cup with England, he’s better off assisting the Gunners.