Arsenal in talks to sign £26m England star

How can Mikel Arteta make his title-winning Arsenal team even better?

Champions can often come down with particularly virulent bouts of ‘second-season syndrome’, stumbling after such incredible success. Look at Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who fell awkwardly to the wayside this term.

But there is a stability about the Gunners which suggests they are here to stay. After all, they were defeated on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.

This is a sensational team that Arteta has created, but the forwards left a lot to be desired, and therein lies the summer strategy that the Gunners need to nail.

Arsenal in talks to sign Premier League winger

Arsenal have been quiet on the transfer front so far this summer, but make no mistake, Arteta and technical director Andrea Berta are planning to strengthen the frontline.

The likes of Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze contributed toward this season’s Premier League title, but none of them truly established themselves as first-class members of Arteta’s frontline.

Now, Arsenal need to consolidate their frontline with a more prolific forward.

According to reports relayed by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have received a boost in their bid to sign Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford, with Barcelona unwilling to meet the £26m valuation for the Three Lions international.

Talks are ongoing between the two Premier League clubs, with the Red Devils offering Rashford to the Emirates side as they consider their own swoop for Gabriel Martinelli.

Rashford is the real deal, 28 years old but perhaps in the prime of his career. In that, he could emerge as Arsenal’s new Alexis Sanchez.

Why Rashford can be Arsenal’s new Alexis

Rashford reached something of a career crossroads when Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag during the 2024/25 campaign at Old Trafford.

He has rebounded this season on loan with Barcelona, scoring 14 goals and supplying 14 assists, and given the La Blaugrana connection and his innate threat in front of goal, it may well be that Rashford emerges as the new Alexis, who remains one of the most iconic Gunners forwards in a generation.

Described as “one of the best players in the world” by Fabrizio Romano, consistency has not been Rashford’s friend over the years, but there’s no question that he has the capacity to shine as one of the brightest forwards in Europe, as he was seen at times for Barcelona this season, notably in the Champions League, on the biggest stage.

Twice since the turn of the decade, Rashford has notched 17 goals in a single Premier League season. Like Alexis, he has the skill to star as the focal point of his side’s attack, and given the lack of clinical threat at Arsenal this season, it’s certainly not out of the question to assume that he could outstrip Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, hard-working and talented players who, frankly, do not boast world-class status.

Just imagine Alexis in this Arsenal team, the Chilean maverick making things happen and putting paid to the title ambitions of teams like Liverpool and Manchester City.

Given that Arsenal are the best team in the country, yet still not at the top of their game, it’s fair to say that the right signing could widen the margin, extend the gap and truly cement Arteta as one of the greatest coaches of his time.

To help him realise that goal, Arsenal need to sign an Alexis-level winger, and while Rashford has blown hot and cold in recent years, he has rediscovered his best form over the past year in Spain, and if Arsenal can bring that level to north London, they could be onto a winner.