Michael Owen believes that Arsenal should target Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford after falling short in their pursuit of Vinicius Junior.
Arsenal have been keen to strengthen the left side of their attack after selling Leandro Trossard, and quickly made Vinicius their number-one target.
The Gunners were willing to make the Real Madrid superstar the highest-paid player in Premier League history, but Vinicius instead opted to remain in the Spanish capital and sign a new contract with Madrid.
Still keen to sign a new left winger, Arsenal will now head back into the market to assess potential alternatives, with the latest reports suggesting they may reignite their interest in Liverpool target Bradley Barcola.
Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season.
But Owen believes Mikel Arteta’s side should look at cheaper alternatives as he urged the Gunners to consider a move for England international Rashford, who could be available for as little as £40million.
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
‘I didn’t see Vinicius Junior to Arsenal happening, but a move for someone like Rashford would make sense,’ he told Metro.
‘This would be a move I can see happening and makes sense as Arsenal are looking for a left-sided striker.
‘He would fit well into Arteta’s plans and work well with the rest of the squad they have. So I can see this happening if Arsenal were to approach Manchester United.’
Rashford still faces an uncertain future as he prepares to return to United after his season-long loan at Barcelona.
The 28-year-old had made no bones about his desire to extend his stay at the club, but the Catalan giants instead decided to pursue a deal for Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon.
After a break following the World Cup, Rashford is expected to join up with the Red Devils’ pre-season training next week and could feature in their friendly against Leeds United on Wednesday.
And Owen believes that Michael Carrick is the perfect character to try and resurrect Rashford’s career at his boyhood club if a summer exit does not materialise.
‘He looks the perfect person to put an arm around his shoulder to make him feel part of the squad and back into the mix at Manchester United,’ Owen, who now helps UK gamblers compare online casinos as the British ambassador for Casino.org, added.