Arsenal “would be sending a serious message” by landing Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford this summer, according to a transfer insider.
The Gunners had a brilliant season in the Premier League but missed out on winning the title on the final day with Man City’s 3-1 win over West Ham handing Pep Guardiola’s side the championship.
However, the continued improvement under Mikel Arteta has put Arsenal in a brilliant position to attract some of the best names in world football to the Emirates Stadium.
They have the reputation to attract the best players again, as well as their continued participation in the Champions League next term, and Man Utd forward Rashford is one player who they have recently been linked to.
A report earlier this week claimed that Arteta has spoken to Rashford over a potential summer move to Arsenal in what GiveMeSport describe as ‘secret talks’.
And now GiveMeSport transfer insider Dean Jones claims that although he hasn’t “heard anything so far that backs this story up”, he reckons it would be “pretty wild to be completely fake”.
Jones told GiveMeSport: “There are links with Rashford going to Arsenal, and having had conversations with Arteta, this would be a monstrous moment if that was true.
“I haven’t heard anything so far that backs this story up but I don’t see why someone would make this up, because if you want to seem in the know, you would at least come up with something that seems realistic. This seems so big that it would be pretty wild to be completely fake.
“Anyway, if it is true, can it even happen? I would say no when you consider Rashford’s potential transfer fee of somewhere close to £80million, plus the fact he is one of United’s top earners and picks up £350,000-a-week.
“A wage like that would smash through the ceiling of what they currently pay and when you consider the form he’s been in, it could be a risk. But, in general, signing Rashford? Wow, that would be sending a serious message about where they are aiming.”
Arsenal are trying to negotiate a new long-term contract for Arteta and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists that they “will enter into concrete and advanced talks” soon with the Spaniard.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Arsenal are prepared to enter into advanced conversations with Mikel Arteta and his representatives to extend his contract. Arsenal didn’t want to discuss it during the season, they were waiting for the end of the Premier League, but in private conversations they always made it clear that they wanted to extend his contract.
“Arteta’s current contract expires in 2025 and they didn’t want to enter into the new season with this still being unresolved, so the idea is very clear – after some initial contacts in April/May, now he will enter into concrete and advanced talks to extend his contract.
“Arsenal want Arteta to be one of the best paid managers in Europe, and to give him new power with the new contract. Despite links with Barcelona, he was never a candidate for the job because he’s super happy at Arsenal, convinced by the project, 100% involved in the planning for the future, and also Edu and all the directors are very happy with Arteta. Obviously they want to finally win titles, but credit to everyone involved because the way they are progressing is something very special.
“Everyone at Arsenal, including the players of course, is very happy with Arteta’s management style, and that’s why the expectation is to continue together, and to reach an agreement soon.”
