Arsenal have not exactly enjoyed the most frenzied of transfer windows in memory but Mikel Arteta will be content with his squad, maintaining the belief that prudence will pay off.

Calls for a prolific centre-forward have become commonplace at the Emirates Stadium but with the likes of Ivan Toney on the radar, a summer bid is more likely and playing the long game prevents any rash purchases.

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On that note, Arsenal are also believed to be preparing a sensational approach for another Premier League star…

Arsenal monitoring Premier League star

According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal a plotting an audacious summer transfer for Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, who has fallen by the wayside this season after a stunning 2022/23 campaign.

Rated at £65m by Football Transfers, doubts have crept in surrounding Rashford's future at the Theatre of Dreams and while he is contracted until 2028, there is renewed optimism that a deal could be struck.

Marcus Rahford has "attributes like" Thierry Henry

Rashford is enduring a most inauspicious year with the Red Devils but lest we forget the England international plundered 30 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last term.

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Player

Club

1.

Donyell Malen

Borussia Dortmund

2.

Arnaud Nordin

Montpellier

3.

Joao Felix

Barcelona

4.

Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

5.

Diogo Jota

Liverpool

Source: FBref

As per FBref, Rashford still ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 4% for shots taken per 90, and provided a new lease of life in the capital, he could be "unstoppable" once more – as he has been dubbed by his manager Erik ten Hag.

A left-sided, in-cutting winger with an innate eye for goal and an ease in his defender-beating surges, Rashford could even be of the same mould as Thierry Henry, with Stuart Pearce remarking that the 26-year-old has "attributes" like that of the France legend.

That was previously echoed by ex-Gunners hero, Paul Merson, who stated that Rashford "uses his pace in exactly the same way as Thierry Henry did".

Pearce did stress that the Englishman needs to better harness his gifted ability and influence matches with greater consistency, but a change of scenery could be the key to unlocking the full scope of his skill set, providing Arsenal with a phenomenal source of goals.

Indeed, with Henry clinching 331 direct goal contributions from 376 appearances for the Gunners, he's comfortably one of the greatest players in the club's history, occupying the same inswinging role from the left, dispatching backlines with effortless devastation.

Rashford would do incredibly well to emulate similar numbers but while he has been derided for his lacklustre performances this season, hark back to season's past and recall the extraordinary numbers that led The Times' Henry Winter to pronounce him an "elite" talent.

And, furthermore, given that Bukayo Saka has praised Rashford as a "top, top player" in the past and plays on the alternate wing, a deadly partnership could be born at club level, with Saka's creativity and dynamism marrying well with Rashford's instinctive eye for goal.

This season alone, the Arsenal star has posted ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions and would be able to supplement Rashford with unwavering precision to replenish his form and then some.

Whether Arteta succeeds in securing Rashford's signature remains to be seen at this stage but there is no question that the latent ability is there, it just needs tapping into now and Arsenal could be the perfect move to revive his career.