Arsenal Considers Late Loan for Rashford as Martinelli's Exit Looms

Arsenal are weighing up a late move for Marcus Rashford as uncertainty deepens over Gabriel Martinelli’s future and talks for Julian Álvarez drag on.

With the transfer window ticking into its final days, the Gunners are said to be exploring a loan deal for the Manchester United forward, who naturally operates off the left – the very zone Martinelli has made his own in north London.

Martinelli sale sparks alarm

Inside Arsenal, there is said to be “internal surprise” that Martinelli could be allowed to join Al-Hilal for around £50m without a replacement already lined up. That potential gap on the left has pushed Rashford’s name back into the frame.

Arsenal’s primary attacking target remains Julian Álvarez at Atletico Madrid, but the club are described as relaxed about the prospect of missing out on the Argentinian if the conditions are not right. That stance, combined with the Martinelli situation, has opened the door to a late rethink.

A short-term move for Rashford is now being considered, with a loan viewed as the most realistic route before the deadline.

Rashford back in Carrick’s plans

Rashford looked closer to the Old Trafford exit earlier in the summer. Strongly linked with a move away, he spent last season on loan at Barcelona, who chose not to trigger a £26m option to buy.

Now 28 and with two years left on his United contract, his situation has shifted. Michael Carrick brought him back into the fold during pre-season and has publicly underlined that Rashford is part of his plans for this campaign. The forward could even feature against Ipswich this weekend, with Carrick saying he has been “delighted” with Rashford since his return.

That resurgence complicates any late swoop. A deal that might have been straightforward in June now looks far trickier with United reintegrating him and valuing his experience and versatility.

Álvarez pursuit hits resistance

While Rashford’s stock has risen at United, Arsenal’s pursuit of Álvarez has run into resistance on multiple fronts.

Álvarez, who will miss Atletico’s match this weekend after being absent from training through illness, has been keen on a move to Barcelona this summer. Atletico, though, have shut the door on the Catalan club, publicly criticising their conduct.

In a strongly worded statement, Atletico’s Board of Directors said they had unanimously backed the club’s decision not to negotiate Álvarez’s transfer to Barcelona. They stressed that Atletico are open to transfer talks only when they are conducted “in an ethical and professional manner and with respect between clubs,” adding that Barcelona had not met those standards. As a result, Atletico insisted there had been no negotiations and there would be none regarding Álvarez.

Arsenal, according to reports, retain strong interest in the forward. But they will only move if they receive full commitment from the player, and Mikel Arteta’s terse “Don’t go there” when asked about conversations with Álvarez underlined how delicate the situation has become.

Late-window tension in north London

So Arsenal stand at a familiar late-window crossroads. A key wide forward in Martinelli could depart. Their top target, Álvarez, is locked in a stand-off between his current club and his preferred destination. And now, a revived Rashford, back in favour at Manchester United, is being lined up as a possible short-term solution.

If the Gunners do pull the trigger on a loan for Rashford, it would be one of the window’s most eye-catching twists. If they don’t, they risk stepping into the new season with a hole on the left and a lingering question: where will the goals and chaos from that flank come from when it matters most?