Arsenal Have Next Year’s Marcus Rashford

Arsenal may have been beaten by Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, but they have their own improved version of Rashford coming next year.

It’s been awhile since an 18 year old pounced on headlines quite like Marcus Rashford has done at Manchester United. The forward has now scored four goals in three appearances, making his ratio a tad outlandish. Two of those were used to down Arsenal in a rather depressing affair.

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However, if it is going to be done by anyone, let it be done by someone who came out of the youth systems. Marcus Rashford is just a lad but he is primed to take the Premier League by storm. His ability to put himself in goal-scoring situations makes him a lethal weapon, even moreso as he ages. Or at least that is the idea.

Perhaps the most interesting part about Rashford is that he more or less flew under the radar. Although he has been knocking the socks off the U21 Premier League.

Enough about that guy though. Let’s turn our attention to the guy that Arsenal will use to put Rashford’s potentially massive impact on the season to shame.

His name is Donyell Malen. Slowly but surely he is raising his profile in the public’s eye. At just 17 years of age, he is arguably the top prospect to come out of the Netherlands and we are seeing why in the Arsenal youth system.

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Given how full of talent Arsenal’s youth system always figures to be, it is amazing that a 17 year old can shoulder his way into the starting striker role of the U21 side, but that is precisely what Malen has done at Arsenal. His performances show us what makes him so special. His finishing is tremendous, his touch is deft and he has that eye for goal – totaling four goals in 14 appearances.

Before you say that that pales compared to Rashford, consider that Rashford is a year older. Hence my point. When Malen turns 18, he will just as ready as Rashford to make an impact on the first team. He will also have just about as good of an opportunity. That is, if Arsenal has learned anything.

Going into the summer, no matter what happens to Arsenal for the rest of the season, the chances that Wenger signs another striker are slim to none. While this irks me, I can see the merit in holding off, if not for just a bit. After all, we have to see what Chuba Akpom has learned at Hull.

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Even then, it will be Giroud’s show, with a supporting cast of strikers-turned-wingers like Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck. Hopefully, again, if Arsenal has learned anything, they will see the need for options up front because this attack goes stale far too often. Even if Arsenal can finally pluck that Premier League title from the silver platter, they have to either invest in more options or give young guys a chance.

Malen is still young and still sits behind Akpom in the pecking order. But come this time next year when he is 18 and after having shown up the U21 Premier League (it will happen, count on it), he will make a much bigger impact on the Premier League than Rashford did. Perhaps not with four goals in three games, but it’s not like United’s teenager can keep up that pace.

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Donyell Malen should give us all a big dosage of hope in the future. The only question is how long we will have to wait to see him with the first team.