Lee Dixon has put a Marcus Rashford swap deal into the conversation, saying he would "probably" exchange Marcus Rashford for Myles Lewis-Skelly. The former Arsenal defender also argued that Arsenal should look at Rashford as a player who could still add to a title-level squad, while Manchester United's forward situation remains unsettled.

Dixon's view on Rashford

The key line is blunt enough. Dixon said Mikel Arteta would be "great" for Rashford and that the forward needs "an arm around his shoulder". He wants Rashford on the left side, with more freedom and more support, and that is where the Arsenal case starts from.

He also did not dress it up as a perfect player-profile match. Dixon said he has reservations about whether Rashford is "consistently a top-class player", but still called him a good addition based on what Arsenal have in the squad now. Arsenal finished first in the 2025 Premier League with 85 points, so the bar he is talking about is clearly high.

Rashford's uncertain future

The other side of this story is Rashford himself. Goal says he has been out of sight for 18 months, returned to United for pre-season after Barcelona did not take up the buy option, and still wants an exit route. His Manchester United record is still substantial, 426 appearances and 138 goals, but the recent picture is much thinner.

Rashford has only 6 appearances in the 2026 season, and those have added up to just 231 minutes. That is not the profile of a player who looks settled or central right now.

United's own numbers do not suggest a club in free fall, either. They finished third in the 2025 Premier League with 71 points, and their recent five-game league form is WWDWW. The issue is less about whether the team can function without him, and more about whether Rashford still has a clean route back into the picture.

The stronger read is that the door is still open, even if it is only slightly. Dixon's swap idea is surprising, but it is not random, because Rashford remains a player with a big reputation, a limited recent workload and more than one possible next step. United's next listed fixture is away to Hull City on 22 August 2026, followed by home matches against Ipswich and an away trip to Everton.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →