Come on in and join the club! Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Manchester United should think twice before signing Antoine Griezmann this summer - because it might not be best for Marcus Rashford.

According to former United striker Michael Owen, the arrival of French star Griezmann - United’s No.1 target this summer - could cause Rashford’s development to stall.

Rashford, 19, broke into the United side last season playing through the middle under Louis van Gaal. But under Jose Mourinho, the England forward has largely been played out wide, due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s arrival to be the focal point of the attack.

However, with the totemic Swede injured and unlikely to play again in 2017 - and with his United career effectively over - Rashford has been back through the middle.

Yet Owen, who scored 40 goals in 89 games for his country, believes signing Griezmann could push Rashford back to the fringes.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

"I think Griezmann is a brilliant player, obviously he is brilliant," Owen told Goal. "What Manchester United must weigh up is, do you spend that £80million when you have Rashford?

"Rashford needs Jose to give him the ultimate belief and say ‘right you are going to be my man, you are going to be it’. If he doesn’t think that just yet then the last thing he needs is for Jose to buy someone who will be there for the long term.

"You just need someone there who has done what Zlatan has done this year. It is so hard to balance for Jose to install that belief in Rashford."

(Image: Getty Images Europe) (Image: Getty)

The Red Devils face Celta Vigo in the Europa League semi-final on Thursday, with European success looking like their most likely route into the Champions League.

United's 1-1 draw with Swansea on Sunday - coupled with Liverpool's win over Watford on Monday - has left Mourinho's men as 5-1 outsiders with bookmakers to claim a top four finish.

They are best price evens to win the Europa League, having reached the final four.