Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for the Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford at the end of the season.
The 27-year-old is currently on loan at Aston Villa, and it remains to be seen whether the West Midlands club decides to try and sign him permanently in the summer. According to Paul Robinson, Tottenham are in the race to sign the player, but they are unlikely to get the deal done without Champions League football.
Rashford will want to play for a competitive club capable of winning major trophies, and he might not want to join a club without European football next season.
“They can try, but if they haven’t got Champions League football they won’t compete”, Robinson told Football Insider.
“Marcus Rashford has been to Aston Villa, proved himself again at the top level – he’s shown everybody that there was something fundamentally wrong at Manchester United.
“The relationship with the manager was clearly broken down – that was an issue for him – he’s gone to Aston Villa and looks like the player he was two years ago.
“If it’s not Aston Villa, it will be a Champions League club, because that’s the level he needs to play at, and that’s the level which he’s able to play at.
“Tottenham are in the race for Marcus Rashford; but without Champions League football, without the Europa League trophy, and Tottenham 17th in the Premier League? Sorry, you’re not in the conversation.”
Can Spurs sign Marcus Rashford?
Tottenham are unlikely to secure Champions League qualification through league positions, and they will have to win the UEFA Europa League to compete in the Champions League next year. They have made it to the semifinals of the tournament, and it remains to be seen whether they can go all the way.
Tottenham need more quality and depth in the attacking unit, and the England international could be the ideal acquisition. He is versatile enough to operate across the front three, and he will add goals, pace and creativity to the side.
He is not a key part of Manchester United’s plans going forward, and he needs to leave the club permanently. Rashford will look to sort out his long-term future and focus on his football in the summer. A move to Tottenham could be interesting for him, especially if they can offer him European football. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.
