Should Arsenal consider a January move for this Premier League star?
Manchester United nicked an amazing comeback victory against struggling Man City on Sunday night, in what would’ve come as bittersweet for two players in particular. Marcus Rashford, along with Alejandro Garnacho were both dropped from the matchday squad ahead of the clash due to their performances in training or lack thereof. According to the latest Man United News, Amorim revealed that both players were fit, but “We tried to evaluate everything. Training, performance, game performance, engagement with the teammates, push the teammates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. So, my selection. Simple.”
This, along with the culmination of inconsistencies from the past has led to a few reports about the future of Marcus Rashford at the club, with the latest ones stating that United are open to selling him in January. With this in mind, would it be a smart move for the Gunners to take advantage of? Well, I for one personally think that he would be a very good signing.
The only reason we’re having these sorts of conversations is because of our own struggles on the left-wing and attack in general.
Martinelli and Trossard haven’t impressed this season and with Arteta refusing to give Sterling consistent minutes, actions will seriously be needed in January. Today’s rumours are saying that Sterling is looking for a way out of Arsenal in January, so wouldn’t it make sense to have Rashford on the bench instead of Sterling?
It hasn’t been the first time we have been linked to his signature but Arsenal would be wise to finally consolidate this long standing interest with a significant approach in the winter window. People easily forget what a seriously good player he is, recency bias without proper contextualisation will make us believe he doesn’t have anything more to offer, but he certainly would be a better option than our current crop of left-wingers. Who can forget his incredible 25-yard quickfire goal at the Emirates last year?
Being 27-years-old, he still has time to regain the form that saw him netting 30 odd goals as recently as the 22/23 campaign. Along with this hope, he will add versatility to the squad. His best position is on the left but we have seen him excel as the central or second striker in the past despite it being from a smaller sample of games. As a forward player, when in top form, he offers what most of our forwards simply can’t. He offers better ball striking abilities as well as 1 v 1 expertise more than our current options on the left, you could also go further and say pace, but it’s a tight decision between him and Martinelli.
An argument could be made against his signature due to him not showing any of those qualities above to a high level recently, but I would implore us to take a look at a case study. Jadon Sancho was in a very similar position at the start of last season before spending the second half of the campaign on loan at Dortmund. He regained form in a very familiar surrounding almost instantaneously and went on to have a very good half campaign in the Bundesliga despite his low output (5 G/A). This rejuvenated form has continued this campaign on another loan spell with Chelsea, he is playing with confidence and guile, quite to the amazement of United supporters.
This shows that a player like Rashford, short on confidence, can still thrive again elsewhere. Now it’s not certain that he will even like to join us in January, but if it’s true that he’s up for sale then Arsenal should be going for him. There won’t be better options readily available in January and we need to improve this squad so it will be a no-brainer if the opportunity arises to get him in.
BENJAMIN KENNETH.
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I’d love to see Saka & Rashford in form, playing right & left for Arsenal and England
Just wait for a second and think?
Will Liverpool, a team serious about winning the league ever entertain the idea of signing Rashford?
This guy lacks consistency and has been proven time and again.
Why do we always think other clubs’ leftovers are what we need?
Is this not part of the reason why we are where we are right now?
Think Jesus, Zinch, Sterling and even Havertz
This mentality needs to change.
Are the reasons why Amorim decided to drop him not enough to tell you the kind of players Rashford has become?
And at 27 I hope you’re not thinking about bringing him so you can come and improve him here.
Don’t forget his wage, it’s sky high compared to what he offers. But like it’s been said, Jadon Sancho has rejuvenated on loan, I think the young man has it inside, he just needs an enabling environment, unlike Sterling who I think is not too different from our one dimensional Martinelli. I wish MA will just swallow his pride and get rid of Zinchenco, Tommy and Jesus in January if anybody comes knocking. The ship has sailed from them.
Which flops have set AFC on the roll?
Gabriel J?
Willian?
Sterling?
Kai?
Jorginho?
Zinchenco?
Cedric?
What are the probabilities that Rashford would be a hit?
We are wasting money, time and emotions on mediocre players, just for the coach to prove a point that he is an “exceptional” coach who can turn around carriers of players going downhill. If he did, we would not have had 4 years without a cup or been 6-9 points off Liverpool (who themselves have an above average squad)
“His best position is on the left but we have seen him excel as the central or second striker in the past despite it being from a smaller sample of games”
Rashford doesn’t want to play anywhere but on the left. He does not try when his back is to goal (he feels left out), has never bothered to develop the skills necessary to play through the middle, and as others of his former colleagues (they’ve already left United) sulks when he doesn’t get his way.
The problem with that is he doesn’t like to go to the line, cant’ cross the ball, lacks to hang about outside the box, is poor in the air, his pass completion rate is mediocre as is his shooting ratio and even when he can be bothered to track back he is loath to tackle an opponent.
He’s got one trick which is to cut in and shoot and over recent seasons even that has lacked the required accuracy. All in all like some of his colleagues his decision making on the pitch is poor. If the full back is any good its not hard to put Rashford in his pocket.
Now that’s before you consider his complete lack of discipline off the pitch.
As for the comparison with Sancho there is none beyond being stuffed by Southgate in that final penalty shoot out debacle that undermined both players confidence 3 years ago.
Sancho was brought to United and basically was never given a chance. Solskjaer who signed him was sacked months after his arrival. Ten Hag on arriving at the end of Sancho’s 1st season immediately replaced Sancho with Anthony without giving Sancho any sort of run in the team and then shipped him off to the Netherlands for ‘special training before publicly humiliating him on TV at the start of last season and exiling him. All told Sancho spent less than 2 years actively playing at the club.
Rashford on the other hand was the clubs golden boy plucked from the under-21’s, 10 years ago and given everything a United prodigy might hope for resulting in a wapping £300k a week contract 18 months ago. Yet once he got it he stopped performing.
There was always a good chance Sancho would come good under a new manager but Rashford? He’s only ever known United and were he to leave he’d never be revered as he once was at Old Trafford. He’s a far bigger risk.
Rumours say United want 40Mill and he is on £300k per week, so it’s a non-starter
Rashford had golden boy status – on the field and during his school meals campaign
Since then, he appears to have gone off the rails. It would be a definite no from me. Arteta gets enough stick for signing rejects so why feed the narrative?
Sue,
Does that mean if Rashford was to join us, he would get free school dinners.🤣😂😉👍.
For the record, we should steer well clear!.
Facts are that Rashford is on frivolous wages, just like Sterling. And just like Sterling, no club will match Rashfords wages. Don’t forget, we’re only playing less than half of Sterlings wages during his loan (widely reported at the time).
So to cancel Sterling and loaning Rashford with subdued wages, I would welcome that. The reason being that I’ve never rated Sterling, I think he only shone at Man City among all the world class players – very much like Jesus.
Rashford has lost his way for sure, a 6 month loan could revive his interest in football again, who knows. Unlike Sterling, Rashford can really score “out of nowhere”, let’s not forget he scored 30 goals in a struggling United side.
We need a proper no 9 not a winger who can fit in as a no 9 !!! He has been given plenty of opportunities under number of managers and has really gone backwards . Artetta does tot have the time or the ability to turn him around . At that price too much of a risk !!!
Rashford is a scrub , We shop in the bins .
We just keep saving strays and empower those clubs , The money from JEsus was used to sign Haaland , Zinchenkos money was used for Gravidol , HAvertz is on 285 k and was bought for 65 million . This transfer alone is what will cost Arteta his job . Sterling made way for Sancho ,
Willian, David Luis , Cedric .
So many scrubs .Now you want Rashford a player who earns 300k a week . Nobody takes our scrubs .
Wasn’t Luiz signed under Emery’s tenure?
Grizzle,
I can’t argue with what you say to be honest, well said. 👍
No!
Gizzle,
My apologies for spelling your name wrong in my earlier post, (My bad). 🤦♂️
@Derek It is fine. I just get worried that our manager feels absolutely no pressure, not from the board and owners or even some fans who have refused to criticize media. I often ask myself what Artet has actually achieved to get this much respect that even Wenger didn’t get. If Wenger had 750 million, only God knows where our cabinet will be.
gizzle,
No arguments from me there.👍
I see sense in the madness. Unlike Stirling I believe Rashford would be a good fit for Arsenal. The biggest put off is his fee. I mean United will say, “If you paid 60 million for Harvetz then Rashford must be worth 40 or so right! Then again there are so few good strikers out there especially in January who wouldn’t also be a gamble.
@Joe . S Please, can anyone tell me what the scouts at Arsenal do? .Chelsea, Manchester City are able to go anywhere and find players at bargains.
In PSG there is LW Désiré Doué who isn’t getting sufficient game time because of Bacola. Test the waters for Lookman and offer them either MArtinelli or Trossard; we have not even gone to the South American market. Surely you remember the Wenger days when an academy prospect or an unknown star fell into the team. He has no striker; why hasn’t the academy prospect been played? Skelly looks like a better player than Merino.
Rashford like Sterling would be bad for this club.
Totally agree with you there gizzle. I have no answer. This need to keep signing established players is a bad look on the club. It reflects both incompetence and laziness by our
scouting system. However I’m afraid that if Arteta gets to choose our next Director of Football things could even get worse than lazy Edu. Arteta seems to have a liking for robots who like to work on set pieces so expect more inverteds.
Doesn’t make sense, both are way past their best.