Marcus Rashford’s days at Manchester United are absolutely numbered – one thing that might have appeared unthinkable a yr or so in the past, however might this be a serious switch market alternative for Arsenal?
The England worldwide was overlooked of Ruben Amorim’s matchday squad for the Manchester Derby on the weekend, and he’s now come out and stated publicly that he’s prepared for a brand new problem away from Outdated Trafford.
Though my fellow author Charles Watts doesn’t assume Rashford will be a part of Arsenal, or that it could be a chance value taking, I take a unique view – the success of Jadon Sancho at Chelsea exhibits that this might be a chance that majorly pays off.
Sancho was invisible for just about his whole time at Man Utd, however has shortly turned his kind round underneath the steering of Enzo Maresca in a much more well-functioning Chelsea workforce. Even when he had his moments again on mortgage at Borussia Dortmund final season, it’s honest to say most Chelsea followers most likely wouldn’t have picked him out as an important summer time signing given how badly he’d flopped within the Premier League.
Arsenal able to launch SURPRISE raid for Chelsea star!
At his finest, Rashford might be the superior footballer, and positively way more confirmed within the Premier League, whereas Arsenal are additionally most likely nonetheless a greater workforce than Chelsea total, even when the Blues are performing above expectations in the meanwhile.
Rashford is way from the one high class participant to wrestle on the circus that’s the trendy Man United, so why would Arsenal followers write him off?
Marcus Rashford is simply what Arsenal want – he might save the Gunners’ season
Marcus Rashford in motion for Manchester United towards Chelsea (Photograph by Michael Regan/Getty Pictures)
Arsenal will not be fairly out of the title race simply but, however back-to-back attracts with Fulham and Everton have uncovered what many have lengthy suspected is a weak spot in Mikel Arteta’s aspect – a scarcity of spark in assault, whether or not that’s huge on the left or within the centre-forward position.
Rashford can play each positions to a really excessive commonplace. On his day, he’s a 25-plus-goal-a-season participant, which is unquestionably greater than Kai Havertz or Gabriel Jesus will ever be, whereas he can even terrorise full-backs from out huge in a means that Martinelli hasn’t performed for months.
As issues stand, Arsenal are struggling to interrupt groups down as a result of there’s simply no Plan B if issues aren’t clicking between Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka on that right-hand aspect. Including Rashford into the combo would deliver extra stability and will doubtlessly make this workforce unbeatable.
Jadon Sancho at Man United and celebrating for Chelsea (Photograph by Catherine Ivill, Michael Steele/Getty Pictures)
It’s not like Arsenal aren’t nonetheless dominating possession and creating probabilities, however there are occasions over the course of an extended season that you just’ll want somebody who can present a second of magic to interrupt down defensively cussed groups who’re joyful to play for some extent.
Rashford has proven that he might be that participant time and time once more in his profession – how typically have we seen him dance his well past defenders from the left hand aspect earlier than unleashing highly effective and exact finishes into the nook?
Marcus Rashford objectives for Man United in all competitions
Season
Objectives
Video games
2019/20
22
44
2020/21
21
57
2021/22
5
32
2022/23
30
56
2023/24
8
43
2024/25*
7*
24*
In fact, it’s not occurred for the 27-year-old within the final yr or extra now, and that could be a concern, however Sancho has proven {that a} recuperate after life at Outdated Trafford is feasible. As, in equity, did others like Angel Di Maria and Romelu Lukaku, and even arguably Paul Pogba earlier than his doping ban.
Signing cast-offs out of your rivals is all the time a little bit of a threat, and Arsenal followers would possibly level to Raheem Sterling as the right instance of this, however he’s older and competing extra for a spot on the proper flank, the place he’s absolutely by no means more likely to get a lot of a look-in as a result of presence of Saka.
Rashford might nonetheless have two or three of his finest years forward of him, and simply seems like somebody in want of a change of surroundings after a whole profession spent at a turbulent United with steadily altering managers and gamers, and one disaster after one other.
Arsenal can absolutely flip issues round for Rashford, and he can do the identical for them. Are Arteta and co. courageous sufficient to roll the cube on this deal this January?