Transfer gossip: Man Utd to replace Arsenal-bound Rashford with record-equalling Liverpool target

Matt Stead
Man Utd striker Marcus Rashford celebrates his goal

Arsenal like Marcus Rashford and are keeping an eye on his situation at Man Utd, who will coincidentally equal the British transfer record on Victor Osimhen.

 

PIERRE PRESSURE
The belief is that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will ignore the short-term option of playing in MLS to fight for his place at Chelsea, who have scored four goals in nine games in 2023 and really could do with a natural goalscorer.

Graham Potter is less enamoured with that idea, of course, removing Aubameyang from his Champions League squad to help make room for more of his many expensive toys.

And that could force Aubameyang’s hand by the summer, with Spanish newspaper Sport suggesting ‘his dream is to return to Barca’ in a sort of Christopher Samba or Robbie Keane style career arc.

Aubameyang ‘never felt comfortable at Chelsea’ and even ‘offered himself to Barca’ in January ‘to play almost for free’, but there were not enough levers in the world to make that happen. La Liga leaders Barcelona understandably do not see his return as a ‘priority’ yet the option remains open.

 

TO THE VICTOR
There is something glorious about the way Calciomercato deliver their transfer news. Short, snappy and to the point. All the information in one bitesize paragraph. No bluster or pretence whatsoever. It’s excellent. And here is the entirety of their latest update on Victor Osimhen:

‘Manchester United are preparing a £107m offer for Osimhen. It would be the most expensive signing in Premier League history, tied with Enzo Fernández at Chelsea. However, there is also Liverpool on the Nigerian.’

Boom. Man Utd will bid £107m for Napoli striker Osimhen. Liverpool are after him too. And frankly they would be stupid not to be; the bloke has 17 goals in 18 Serie A games this season, even if he does trail Marcus Rashford this year.

 

RASH DECISION
Speaking of Rashford, that Man Utd contract remains unsigned and his future is therefore somewhat in the air.

A one-year deal extension was triggered to keep the forward at Old Trafford until 2024, but a handful of clubs are monitoring the situation and deciding if or when to strike.

Among them is Arsenal, who have been trailing Rashford for some time. Mikel Arteta ‘is believed to be a “huge fan”‘ of the player and Football Insider add that Man Utd ‘have no intention of selling him’, so the Gunners will have to bide their time in any event. But yeah, it’s nonsense.