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Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United departure appears inevitable, but it remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal revive their transfer interest.
The Gunners remain keen to strengthen their forward line but are likely to keep their powder dry until the summer.
Scoring goals has been an issue so far this season with Mikel Arteta increasingly reliant on the output of Bukayo Saka.
Kai Havertz has struggled to replicate last season’s form and although Gabriel Jesus’ hat-trick in last night’s Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace gave cause for optimism, it remains to be seen whether or not he can replicate that form in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta dismissed suggestions last week that Jesus would be sold in January but attacking reinforcements represent an ever increasing priority.
The Gunners maintain interest in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko who opted to stay with the Bundesliga club in the summer despite serious interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
Arsenal remain huge admirers of Alexander Isak but it will take a huge fee to prise the Sweden international from St James’ Park.
Viktor Gyokeres is also on Arteta’s radar but the club hold several reservations over a player who will soon turn 27 and failed to cut it during his previous spell in England.
Arsenal are understood to have held tentative interest in Rashford recently but according to MailSport currently have no plans to enter the running to sign a player who is on his way out of Old Trafford.
The England international appears to have no future under new United boss Ruben Amorim after he was left out of Sunday’s squad for the Manchester derby.
Rashford gave a bombshell interview earlier this week during which he stated he felt ready to embark upon a ‘new challenge’.
‘For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,’ Rashford told Henry Winter in response to the latest reports over his future.
‘When I leave it’s going to be “no hard feelings”. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.
‘If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person.
‘When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me.’
Amorim responded ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup quarter final against Tottenham, which Rahsford will again not be involved in, by suggesting the door was still open for him at Old Trafford.
‘This kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent,’ Amorim said. ‘He just needs to perform at the highest level. That is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.
‘What I want is to take the best of Marcus Rashford and the other players. I don’t talk about the future. I talk about the present.
‘I want to best of each of them. I just want to win and help the team to be better.
‘We are better with Marcus Rashford, that’s simple and we try our best to push Marcus Rashford to the level he is at before.’
Asked specifically about Rashford’s comments of a new challenge Amorim responded: ‘I think it’s right. We have here a new challenge, it’s a tough one, for me it’s the biggest challenge in football because we are in a difficult situation and I already said this is one of the biggest clubs in the world.
‘This is a really new challenge and the biggest one. I really hope all my players are ready for this new challenge.’
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