Arsenal are reportedly ready to splash £45 million on a new striker this summer, with Manchester United star Marcus Rashford emerging as the primary target.
According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal are eyeing a move for a new striker in the upcoming summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta is keen on shoring up his options in the goalscoring department, and it appears Marcus Rashford has emerged as one of the top targets for the Spaniard.
Arsenal are aware of Rashford’s precarious situation at Manchester United, with the strugling English forward falling out of favour under Ralf Rangnick. He is likely to leave Old Trafford in the summer, with the Gunners prepared to splash £45 million on the Manchester United academy graduate.
Once regarded as the future of English football, Rashford has endured a difficult season at Manchester United. He has struggled to make an impression following the arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the attacker even losing his place in the side under the leadership of Rangnick.
Although the German tactician is set to step down at the end of the season and join the Austrian national team, Manchester United’s new coach Erik ten Hag does not appear to value the attacker either and could be in favour of offloading him in the summer.
Rashford’s precarious situation at Manchester United can serve as an ideal market opportunity for an Arsenal side desperate for reinforcements in the goalscoring department this summer.
The north Londoners, after all, had to cope with the exit of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January while Alexandre Lacazette is out of contract at the end of the season. Eddie Nketiah is unlikely to remain at the Emirates as well, thus accentuating the need for a fresh face in the Arsenal offensive unit.
Rashford is not a traditional number nine like some of Arsenal’s other targets. But he is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League, having netted almost 100 goals for Manchester United. He also brings loads of experience at the highest level of football, racking up over 300 appearances for his boyhood club.
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In addition to his goalscoring prowess and experience, Rashford brings versatility to the table as he can operate as a wide attacker. It makes him an appealing target for Arteta, although it remains to be seen whether a fee of just £45 million will be enough to convince Manchester Uniter to sell their prized attacking asset to Arsenal.
