According to writer Dean Jones of GIVEMESPORT, Marcus Rashford may already be Manchester United’s new “No. 9 option” for the start of the 2023–24 season.
In order to buy the team more time as they look for a long-term successor, Jones claimed that the Englishman may be used as the team’s star player.
Manchester United transfer news
As Erik ten Hag aims to give his midfield some new legs and much-needed vitality, the club revealed Mason Mount as their first summer acquisition.
Although Inter Milan is unwilling to lower their £50 million asking price for their prized Cameroon international, Andre Onana’s move to Manchester also appears to be near.
Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta is being connected with a move to Old Trafford in their search for a new striker. According to reports in Italy, Ten Hag will do everything it takes to sign the 20-year-old talent, and The Guardian, they want the young Dane once they finalize a deal for Onana.
Harry Kane of Tottenham was once considered to be the best option for United, but a deal for the prized England captain is now unlikely due to Daniel Levy’s reluctance to sell to a fellow Premier League team, according to Sky Sports, as well as the club’s current takeover crisis.
However, their search for a long-term replacement at the top of their team may be extended, but that will force them to have Rashford play out of his favored position off the left.
What has Dean Jones said regarding Marcus Rashford and Manchester United?
Exclusive to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones asserted that United might start the upcoming campaign with Rashford as their lone center-forward.
“Obviously, the season begins before the transfer window closes,” he responded. Since they have other players who can fill out wide on the left, such as Jadon Sancho or whoever they choose, it’s possible that Marcus Rashford will play as Man United’s number nine for the first few weeks of the season. This will give them some extra time to find the right striker.
Will Marcus Rashford take the pitch this year as a striker?
There is a chance Rashford may start the upcoming season as a center-forward, but how Ten Hag deploys him in preseason will provide supporters more insight into how the Englishman will play.
As Jones hinted, this will give the club more time to select the best option. Budgetary constraints and worries about adhering to Financial Fair Play standards make it difficult for United to find a new striker, especially if Atalanta do demand a high price for Hojlund.
Ten Hag called on Wout Weghorst last season, but he struggled badly during his season-long loan. Given that he has no goals in the Premier League, he was probably going to head back to Burnley, and Anthony Martial’s struggles with injuries aren’t helping matters either.
Rashford achieved his first 30-goal season last year, and according to Transfermarkt, he played up top 19 times and scored 11 goals while doing so, however he preferred to play on the left flank.
The 13-time Premier League champions may not have much of a choice due to their lack of middle players. Rashford playing as their first choice No. 9 may become a common sight at the Theatre of Dreams given that they are more fortunate to have options that can operate on the wing, most notably Jadon Sancho.