Manchester United forward Anthony Martial could be sold during the January transfer window according to reports. It is suggested that the Old Trafford club could be seeking as little as £40 million for him.
Martial could move to a Premier League rival too, which is not something that really bothers me as the player is not really doing much to ensure he reaches his full potential at the club, which is something that will get me lots of opposition from the supporters that seem to think he is one of the best players at the club.
Eurosport reported the rumour, which seems logical as there were many rumours in the summer that United were seeking to offload the player, which would be a good time to do so. It has even been reported that Martial turned down a deadline day switch to Olimpique Lyonnais during the summer transfer window, which seemed strange considering the signing of both Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
Martial, 25, has three years remaining on his current contract with United, which also includes the option of another year to be added. The Frenchman can play on the left-wing and the right-wing, also as a centre-forward – which is where he has played a lot of his football.
More recently though, the likes of Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and now Ronaldo will be more prevalent in the position, which sees Martial on the bench in most matches and only playing as a rotation options, which is not the best for his career.
Martial earns £250,000 per week, according to reports, which could be a sticking point for any interested club, unless the player is willing to take a huge pay cut to give him regular playing time, which is the best thing he could do as he must be frustrated knowing that his future at United is limited to a bit-part role.
It is suggested that United have informed the representatives of Martial that he is free to leave in the New Year, which gives the suggestion, if the reports are right that Martial has no future at United. That said, there are many other players at the club in the same predicament but they are still there as suitors are put off by their wage demands.
Martial feels, according to the report, that the £40 million price tag set by United may price him out of a possible move in the New Year but he needs to think about his contract and that United will be seeking to recoup money spent on the forward on deadline day in the summer of 2015.
In the summer, Atletico Madrid showed interest in the Frenchman but they have singe re-signed Antoine Griezmann, so their need to sign Martial no longer seems plausible. I am sure there will be clubs interested in Martial but he also needs to realise that he is key to getting a move away by reducing his wage demands.
He could remain at United until the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2024, earning £250,000 per week but finding frustrating with a lack of playing time, which will ruin his chances to represent France on the international stage. He could severely reduce his wage demands and play week in and week out.
Last season, Martial made a total of 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals and nine assists, which was not a good season for him considering what he achieved the season before. During the 2019/20 season, the Frenchman made a total of 48 appearances, scoring 23 goals and 12 assists, which was his best season for the Old Trafford club.
Currently, Martial has made just five appearances for United, failing to score or assist a single goal, playing just 100 minutes of football. He is in the squad to face West Ham United in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening at Old Trafford, but whether he starts the match or excels, remains to be seen.
Based on the players at United in the attacking positions this season, Martial is going to find it hard to get ahead of them. Cristiano Ronaldo will be the main striker with Edinson Cavani standing in, when he is fit. Mason Greenwood is a player for the future, who can play on the wings with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford also able to play on the wings – with Rashford able to fill in as the striker at times – when he is fit.
Added to this, Anthony Elanga has done well when given an opportunity, which kind of leads Martial put on his ear as they have all offered so much more than the Frenchman when given chances. Rashford and Greenwood are able to score more goals, Sancho should offer that when he settles in and Ronaldo and Cavani are self-explanatory in terms of what they offer.
It is suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to sell up to five players in the not too distant future – Martial being one of those. The others are suggested to be Jesse Lingard – who is out of contract next summer, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Donny van de Beek. There may not be much truth to the list though – these are just rumours.
Written by John Walker
