Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna believes Marcus Rashford should leave Manchester United for the North London club because they have one player who would complement him perfectly.
Rashford has been a fan-favourite at Old Trafford since he broke through the academy and in his first season under Erik ten Hag he bagged a whopping 30 goals in all competitions. However, this season has been more of a struggle for the Englishman whose form has suffered as much as that of his club.
The winger scored just eight goals and grabbed five assists in 43 appearances this season. Such form saw him miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for the European Championships.
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Some speculation has claimed Arsenal would be interested in signing the United man if he was to become available. The forward is understood to be unlikely to depart the club this summer considering his loyalties to the team and his long-term contract.
However, in an interview with CoinPoker Sagna could see why a switch to the Emirates Stadium would be beneficial for both Rashford and the Gunners. “I would love to see Marcus Rashford at Arsenal. I think if you added Rashford to Arsenal’s attack, with the pace that he has, Arsenal would destroy the opposition,” he explained.
“Adding Rashford to an extremely talented squad would be a frightening prospect for Arsenal’s rivals. Rashford is so quick.
“I think Arsenal having Rashford would enable Arsenal to have more variety in attack and I would love to see Gabriel Jesus and Marcus Rashford in the same team, pressing with so much intensity. It would be a brilliant capture and I think there is room in the squad for a player of Rashford’s ability because Gabriel Jesus won’t be able to play every game and Kai Havertz can also play in a number of roles.
“Rashford joining Arsenal would be a wonderful signing for the club and a real statement of ambition.” When quizzed as to whether his drop of form should be a sign that the Gunners steer clear of the England international, Sagna disagreed adding: “I think Rashford has had some personal issues; his mum spoke out about it. There is no doubt though that Marcus Rashford is a fantastic player.
“People have been too harsh on him. Sometimes people need to remember that footballers are human and can be affected by events off the field and in their personal lives.
“Everyone that watches football would say that Rashford hasn’t been at his devastating best this season. We can all see the quality, the potential. He has the ability to be one of the best players in the world.
“This season has been a challenge for him. Mentally, he hasn’t been at his best, but when that happens you need support and a good environment to bring you back to your best level.
“You need your teammates and your manager to lift you up. You need people to believe in you.
“The vibe at Manchester United hasn’t been good this season. When analysing a player’s performance, you need to look at the bigger picture, and there have been a lot of reported problems at the club.
“Rashford is young. I think he will get on well with the other players in Arsenal’s squad.
“I think he could have amazing chemistry with Gabriel Jesus. I can see those two players clicking, pushing each other, and respecting each other. I think they could complement each other really well.”