Arsenal have made a shock ‘phone call’ to Manchester United over a move for Marcus Rashford in January, low-balling the Red Devils with a tempting offer.
Rashford wants out of Old Trafford having announced his desire for a “new challenge” last month, but options are thin on the ground thanks to his £300,000 per week wages and his lack of interest in a move to Saudi Arabia or Turkey.
Talks have reportedly been held with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, while negotiations with Milan are supposedly more advanced.
A report on Thursday revealed that West Ham have also been asked to be ‘kept informed of Rashford’s situation’ after Graham Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui as manager ‘but know he is more likely to join a top European side’.
A sticking point for Milan could be their unwillingness to stump up more than half of Rashford’s £300,000-a-week wages, and that’s also sure to be a problem for Tottenham and their penny-pinching chairman Daniel Levy amid a report from the Daily Mail that they too are keen on the 27-year-old.
But it appears Arsenal may have found a way of coming to terms with Rashford’s lofty wages, by low-balling Manchester United in a shock ‘phone call’ to enquire over the forward.
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Italian journalist Massimo Marianella, while discussing Milan’s ongoing attempt to sign Rashford, claims Arsenal made contact with the Red Devils on Friday.
He told Sky Sports (via Calciomercato): “It seems that Arsenal has made a phone call to Manchester United for Rashford. The club valued €25m.”
That offer of €25m (£21) falls well below United’s supposed £40m valuation for Rashford, but amid reports that other suitors are only interested in a loan move, with United likely needing to pay a significant portion of his wages, the Arsenal offer may well be tempting as they would reap the reward of a pure profit sale and have him off their wage bill.
It’s a move that makes sense for Arsenal too, assuming they can persuade him to sign on reduced terms – £300,000-a-week would make Rashford their highest earner, surpassing the £280,000-a-week they pay Kai Havertz.
Mikel Arteta is thought to want to bolster his forward options as they look to cope with the absence of Bukayo Saka.
Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have failed to meet expectations for much of the season, Raheem Sterling’s loan move from Chelsea hasn’t worked out and while Gabriel Jesus’ form has improved dramatically in recent weeks, doubts remain as to whether they have the required quality in attack to chase down Liverpool in the Premier League.
