Chelsea have been urged to sign England international Marcus Rashford to replace outgoing winger Alejandro Garnacho, who is closing in on a move to Roma. Former Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend believes the 28-year-old Rashford, available for around £35m, would be an upgrade on the struggling Argentine.
Garnacho's disappointing Chelsea spell
Garnacho, 22, joined Chelsea from Manchester United for £40m last summer but endured a miserable season in west London. The Argentina international scored just one Premier League goal and struggled for minutes in an underperforming side. Both the player and club believe a move is in the best interest of all parties, with Serie A side Roma set to sign him in the coming days.
Townsend backs Rashford move
Rashford is searching for a new club after Barcelona decided not to sign him permanently, instead spending £70m on his England teammate Anthony Gordon. Manchester United are not planning to reintegrate Rashford into Michael Carrick's first-team squad, and Chelsea have been tentatively linked with a move.
'I think Marcus Rashford improves Chelsea's squad, he is an improvement on Alejandro Garnacho, that's for sure,' Townsend told CasinoHawks. 'The number we were talking about was £35m. I'm very surprised that no one has come to get him for that money, even if he's 28.'
Wages and fit concerns
Townsend acknowledged that Rashford's high wages could be an issue but suggested a club like Chelsea might suit him. 'He's on massive wages, which is an issue for any club, but you'd think he could get that to a level everyone finds acceptable. A club like Chelsea might suit him.'
'Rashford showed at Barcelona that he can play at a big club, he understands that mentality. At £35m, I'd be surprised if a deal doesn't get done, depending on his salary demands. If he wants to stick on £300,000-a-week, then he's going to have a problem.'
Rashford's need for regular football
Townsend emphasised that Rashford, nearly 29, needs to be playing regularly. 'There's no point in going back to Manchester United and not playing at his age. That doesn't send a great image to potential suitors if he's happy to just sit on the bench. Marcus and his team should be working around the clock to find the right environment for him at the right level, wage-wise. You want to play. At nearly 29, he's in his peak, and he needs to be out there more often than not.'
Chelsea's new manager, Xabi Alonso, held his first press conference earlier this week after taking over at Stamford Bridge at the start of July.
