It now seems unlikely that either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain will make a move for Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford in January, according to reports.
The Red Devils have been struggling for goals for much of this season with Rashford – who has scored four Premier League goals – one of the players to be criticised for his poor performances.
Rashford, along with Alejandro Garnacho, was left out of Ruben Amorim’s 20-man squad to face Man City in the Manchester Derby in Sunday with Man Utd coming away from the Etihad Stadium with a dramatic three points and a 2-1 win.
One journalist claimed on Monday that Amorim ‘hasn’t liked the attitude that either has shown and he has chosen this moment to make it clear to the squad as a whole what he expects.’
Amorim’s decision to leave Rashford out comes after a week of speculation linking the England international with a move away from Old Trafford in the January transfer window.
There has been speculation that Man Utd will consider ‘top offers’ for Rashford in the winter market with claims Arsenal and PSG could be interested in his services.
But now transfer insider Graeme Bailey insists that PSG have other targets in mind instead of Rashford with the Man Utd forward not fitting ‘into the current strategy’ at the French club.
Bailey told United In Focus: “I am told Marcus Rashford is not the kind of player PSG are pursuing. He does not fit into the current strategy Luis Campos is leading at the club.”
And Charles Watts – who has been covering Arsenal for years – doubts the Gunners would have serious interest in Rashford over the January transfer window after their failed Raheem Sterling loan.
Watts wrote in his Caught Offside column: ‘Marcus Rashford’s name always seems to pop up when it comes to Arsenal these days.
‘He always seems to be part of the conversation, certainly amongst fans anyway, and that might be the case again as we head towards January given what’s going on with him at Manchester United at the moment.
‘Do I think he could be an opportunity for Arsenal? I don’t think so to be honest. I’m just not sure he’s what they need.
‘If he was still the Rashford of a couple of years ago then my thoughts would be different. But if that was the case then he would be playing week in, week out for United right now.
‘But he’s not and there’s a reason for that. So if Arsenal, or anyone else, were to move for him in January then they would be doing so in the hope that he could rediscover his best form again.
‘It would just be a bit of a gamble. Similar to what Arsenal did with Raheem Sterling in the summer and that’s certainly not been a gamble that has paid off. Rashford would be a far more expensive one as well.
‘I do think that Arsenal have to pull something out of the bag in January. It’s clear they need at least one other viable option in the final third, even if it’s a loan deal to get them through to the summer when they can really push for their main targets.
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‘This season has shown they need more. It felt in the summer that they had left themselves at least one attacker short and that was with Sterling’s late loan move factored in.
‘The fact that Sterling doesn’t even seem to be considered for minutes now, even when the team is desperately in need of a goal, really shows that the squad is probably two attacking players short in terms of where it needs to be.
‘So January does feel crucial for Arsenal and their ambitions over the second half of the season. It won’t be easy to find what’s needed, but they have to give it a good go.’
Craig Burley has branded Rashford “an utter embarrassment to himself and Manchester United” after his social media post celebrating a 2-1 victory he wasn’t part of.
Burley told ESPN: “For Rashford to be posting on his Instagram while his colleagues are out there, grafting to get a victory, when he is not there because his attitude allegedly, among other things, is not good enough
“He is frankly a joke. He should not be anywhere near social media. He should have kept his head down, embarrassed that he was not at the Etihad to help.
“One of the worst things that could have happened to Man United in the last two to three years was Rashford having a magnificent season a couple of years ago, and United had to give him a new contract because they were in a corner.
“I have played against some of the best players that have ever played at United. When they get a new contract, they push to be even better. But Rashford, he got this new bumper contract and does not care.
“To sit there and post on social media when you have been embarrassed by the manager who does not like what he is seeing. He is an utter embarrassment to himself and his football club.”