Surprise Arsenal signing could be "on the cards" as transfer odds tumble

Arsenal could well be in the mix for a surprise transfer move before the end of the summer as Marcus Rashford continues to be linked with the Gunners.

The Manchester United forward has had a mixed few years, suffering a dip in form at Old Trafford that saw him loaned out to Aston Villa and then to Barcelona.

Rashford is now back at Man Utd and played for them in their opening day Premier League defeat against Hull City, but it remains to be seen if he’ll end up staying for long.

It’s been suggested in a report from the Independent that Rashford could be seen as a tempting loan signing for Arsenal as they look to replace the departing Gabriel Martinelli.

And now Ladbrokes have been in touch to confirm a significant shift in Rashford to Arsenal transfer odds.

Odds slashed on Marcus Rashford joining Arsenal

Marcus Rashford (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Rashford was priced at 7/1 to join Arsenal for much of the summer, but those odds are now down to just 4/1.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Rashford’s future remains up in the air, but an Emirates move could well be on the cards in the next couple of days, if the latest odds are anything to go by.”

Rashford shone on loan at Barcelona last season, so there could be some sense in Arsenal taking a gamble on him while there aren’t that many tempting alternatives available.

United will also surely be keen to offload the England international, even if there’s also a degree of risk in letting him go to a rival.

Could Marcus Rashford strengthen Arsenal?

Rashford hasn’t been at his best for some time, but we saw glimpses of what he’s capable of at Barca last season.

At Arsenal, one imagines the 28-year-old would play a similar role as a squad and rotation player, and that might suit him and the Gunners well.

See below as the data suggests Rashford is a clear upgrade on Martinelli, even if AFC fans would ideally like even more of an upgrade than that…

Marcus Rashford vs Gabriel Martinelli stats comparison graphic (DataMB)

Rashford can also play up front, which might be useful for Mikel Arteta’s side after unconvincing performances from Viktor Gyokeres, and with Kai Havertz often struggling to stay fit for a sustained period.

It will be interesting to see how this develops in the final days of the window, but for now Fabrizio Romano has played down talk of Rashford leaving.

See below as the Italian journalist has ruled out Rashford moving to a Turkish club, and he’s generally hinted at the player staying at Old Trafford…

“Marcus Rashford stance has not changed despite reports: he’s not going to join Turkish clubs this summer. Full focus on Manchester United + no chance for Fenerbahçe move,” Romano said.

Would you take Rashford at Arsenal? Let us know in the comments!