Arsenal are monitoring Marcus Rashford and his situation at Manchester United – and could spark an incredible transfer battle for the forward
(Image credit: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Arsenal are keeping tabs on Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, in what would be one of the biggest transfers the Premier League has ever seen.
The 25-year-old has been at the Red Devils since the age of eight, becoming an icon at Old Trafford on and off the pitch and taking the No.10 shirt at his boyhood club. This season, Rashford has taken his game to new heights, too, netting 21 goals and registering eight assists in 34 appearances.
But despite the United hierarchy triggering a one-year extension in Rashford's deal, he is still only contracted at Old Trafford until 2024. This summer would be the last chance for Manchester United to cash in on the player, should he fail to sign a new deal.
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has become a hero for Red Devils fans – but his future is uncertain (Image credit: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
That's where Arsenal come in. According to Football Insider, the north Londoners are monitoring the situation and have a long-standing interest in the England international.
Arsenal strengthened their squad in the January transfer window with Leandro Trossard joining as another left-wing option but Rashford can play all across the frontline, too. He would likely be a first-choice option ahead of Gabriel Martinelli in current form but could also fill in on the right for Bukayo Saka.
The transfer, were it to happen, would send shockwaves through football. This would be new ground for Arsenal, who have usually only bought rivals' players when it suited the selling club, such as Jorginho recently from Chelsea, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City and the likes of Mikael Silvestre and Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United.
Arguably the last time that Arsenal pulled off such a coup was in 2001, when the Gunners snared Sol Campbell from Tottenham Hotspur – but Campbell was a free transfer. It's possible that United would rather let Rashford leave for nothing than to a rival.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has signed a few players from rivals, such as Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jorginho (Image credit: Getty Images)
Both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have shown interest in Rashford before, though United's likely imminent takeover would perhaps facilitate new contract talks for the forward, who has been one of the best players in the league this season and surely remains a priority to keep at Old Trafford.
Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.
