Reports: Barcelona set to bid £60 million for Manchester United star

What’s the rumour?

As per reports from The Daily Mail, Barcelona are set to make Manchester United's Anthony Martial their top transfer target this summer and are lining up a £60 million bid for the winger.

In case you didn't know...

An incredible 2014-15 season saw Martial become one of Europe's hottest properties as he scored 12 goals and racked up 5 assists in 48 games for AS Monaco. He was snapped up by Manchester United for an initial fee of £36 million.

He became an instant fan-favourite at United when he scored on his debut against Liverpool and has gone on to make 132 appearances for The Red Devils, finding the back of the net 36 times in the process.

His current contract runs out in 2019 and further negotiations to extend the same has not materialised so far.

The heart of the matter

Barcelona scouted Martial last summer but turned their eyes to fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembele as they wanted to buy a replacement for Neymar. The rumours have refused to lie down and they are lining up a £60 million bid to sign the 22-year-old this summer.

Martial has fallen out of favour with Jose Mourinho ever since the arrival of Alexis Sanchez because he has had to play second-fiddle to the Chilean. This has not gone down well with Martial and his representatives and he has become unhappy with the lack of playing time.

Barcelona look to take advantage of the situation and are closely monitoring his condition.

Rumour rating/probability - 7/10

Many outlets including some credible sources are reporting the same and we believe there could be a hint of truth after all in the rumors.

Video: The best of Martial this season

Author’s take

Martial is a player having unquestionable talent and if he feels that his career is getting stagnated at United, he has every right to seek a move away from the club. He will be an excellent addition at Barcelona, but Manchester United are unlikely to sell him easily.