Arsenal Eye Marcus Rashford as Gabriel Martinelli Replacement

Arsenal are weighing up a bold move to replace Gabriel Martinelli with Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, according to the UK Telegraph.

Martinelli is on the brink of a club-record departure from the Emirates, with Arsenal set to bank in excess of £50 million for the Brazilian. He has given the go-ahead for a switch to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, having previously turned down interest from Galatasaray.

Inside the club, the Telegraph reports “some internal surprise” that Arsenal allowed Martinelli’s exit to progress without first locking in a replacement for the left-sided role. The timing has raised eyebrows. The gap in Mikel Arteta’s attacking options is clear.

Now the response could be just as eye-catching as the sale.

Arsenal are expected to explore a loan move for Rashford, who has spent the last two seasons away from Old Trafford on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona. A temporary deal would offer the Premier League champions a high-profile, Premier League-proven option without committing to a huge fee in the wake of Martinelli’s record sale.

If Arsenal push ahead, it would mark one of the most intriguing attacking reshuffles of the window – and place Rashford at the centre of another major storyline in North London.