Marcus Rashford has been backed to join Arsenal by a former World Cup winner (Image: AP)
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit has backed the Gunners to pursue a transfer for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. The forward is currently on loan at Barcelona. The Catalan giants have an option to sign the United academy graduate on a permanent deal this summer for £26million. Nevertheless, the probability of Barcelona exercising this clause is believed to have diminished significantly.
Spanish publication Marca claim that the La Liga champions’ appetite to sign Rashford has ‘cooled drastically’ due to worries over his displays since the turn of the year. The winger has registered just two goals in his last 16 appearances for Hansi Flick’s side, struggling to capitalise on Raphinha’s injury-enforced absence in recent matches.
Petit, who won the double with Arsenal in 1997/98, has confessed he would welcome seeing Rashford move to the Emirates.
The 1998 World Cup winner has spoken favourably of Rashford’s involvement in Catalonia, despite a challenging start to the calendar year for the 28-year-old, who failed to make an impact during Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final exit against Atletico Madrid last week.
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Speaking via Andy’s Bet Club, he said: “I would love to see Marcus Rashford at Arsenal, I think he’d have a big impact. What he has done at Barcelona, after he struggled for two or three seasons, has impressed me.
“The Rashford we know wasn’t there for a while and everyone was criticising him, at Barcelona he has recovered his qualities.
“I was quite surprised that he didn’t start in the Champions League second-leg against Atletico, although Raphinha has been very good for Barcelona, too.
Emmanuel Petit has had his say on Marcus Rashford (Image: Getty Images)
“Robert Lewandowski, I was quite surprised that he was sitting on the bench for the two games. But coming back to Rashford, that could be something very good for Arsenal. He has something to prove coming back to England and they need wingers.”
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United interim boss Michael Carrick has refused to dismiss the possibility of Rashford returning to Old Trafford this summer.
When questioned on Friday about whether the door remained open for the England international, he responded: “I just think there’s decisions to be made in time, really, on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation. But at this point in time, nothing’s been decided.
“And it will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there’s nothing to say.”
When quizzed on whether he would keep his options open regarding players, he added: “Yeah, I’m not going on the Marcus individual one, because I think, like I’ve already touched on, I think to comment either way at this stage is just not the right thing to do, because there’s uncertainties, for sure.
“But for me, as I said, individual players who I’m able to work with in this part of the squad then I enjoy doing that, and trying to get the best out of them.”
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