What Marcus Rashford said about Manchester United’s future amid Arsenal ‘secret meeting’

Marcus Rashford has reportedly met with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta in recent weeks ahead of the summer transfer window opening next month.

According to @AFCCAMDEN on X, the Gunners head coach has met with the Manchester United forward, with the prospect of the 26-year-old moving to the Emirates Stadium among the topics discussed. The account suggests there is interest from both sides, but “it remains to be seen how willing United would be to sell” to Arsenal.

Rashford has struggled for form this season, leading to questions over what the future holds for the England international. The striker has appeared 43 times for Man Utd this campaign, scoring eight goals and assisting a further five.

With Rashford only signing a new contract with the Red Devils last summer, a deal until 2028 worth £325,000-a-week, any move away from Old Trafford will not be straightforward. It’s also likely to be expensive, especially if a sale is to a rival like Arsenal.

Interestingly, Rashford has previously hinted that he wants to stay at Manchester United for his entire career. Speaking to Goal in 2020, he said: “For me, I never look beyond Manchester United.

“Growing up, I never looked beyond Manchester United. In my mind, it wouldn’t be right for me to put on another shirt. I just want to do my best for the club while I’m here. We hope for the long term.”

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“All the good things that happened this year came from Manchester United, giving me an opportunity as a child. I don’t just remember the last year or the last five years,” he added.

“I’m talking about when nobody in my family was driving and I had to get to training and United had people coming to take me to the training ground and take me home when I was six, seven, eight, nine. The hours they put me in accommodation when my mother was struggling at home, when I was 11 and I was there until 16/17.

“It’s a lot deeper than what people see sometimes. I think people see some of the things that have happened since I’ve been in the first team, but the connection I have with United is much bigger than the last five years and it will forever be bigger than probably my actual career because they are the reason I became a footballer, they gave me the opportunity to express myself and find out that I have talent in football.”

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Rashford will move to Arsenal this summer. football.london understands the Gunners are looking for a striker, preferably someone who can play in multiple positions across the front line. Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak, Joshua Zirkzee and Brian Brobbey are among the names that have been linked.