Arsenal legend backs shocking Man Utd star Marcus Rashford swap deal

Former England and Arsenal defender Dixon believes a player swap involving Rashford and Lewis-Skelly makes too much sense to turn down. The ambitious deal would see the United forward move to North London, with the Gunners' youngster heading in the opposite direction to Old Trafford. Dixon feels the transaction could benefit both parties, offering Lewis-Skelly crucial first-team football while adding experienced quality to Arteta's squad.

Speaking on whether he would sanction the exchange, Dixon backed the move as a positive step for both players. He highlighted Arteta's man-management as the key factor to getting the best out of Rashford.

"Would I swap them (Myles Lewis Skelly and Marcus Rashford)? You know what, I probably would," Dixon told BestBettingSites. "And that's nothing against Myles Lewis-Skelly, it's about giving him the freedom to go and expand his game elsewhere.

"With Marcus Rashford, he's a player who needs an arm around his shoulder, and Arteta would be great for him. Give him that love, give him the freedom to play on that left side, and yeah, I'd like to see him in an Arsenal shirt. I have my reservations about whether he's consistently a top-class player, but based on what Arsenal have in the squad now, he'd be a good addition."

The forward has endured a prolonged spell away from action at United. Rashford made the last of his 426 appearances for United in a Europa League clash with Viktoria Plzen on 12 December 2024. Earlier that month, he bagged a brace against Everton to reach 138 goals for the Red Devils.

Having been out of sight for 18 months, Rashford remains a key talking point around Old Trafford. If the Red Devils manager Michael Carrick can get him firing again, he will feel like a fresh addition for the club.

United remain determined to force their way back into contention for major honours at home and abroad. Getting Rashford back to his best form remains central to those ambitions. Meanwhile, Arsenal continue to assess their squad depth as they look to build on their recent progress under Arteta.