Reports: Jose Mourinho 'approves' sale of Manchester United superstar

What's the rumour?

Ever since the arrival of Alexis Sanchez at Manchester United, Anthony Martial has fallen down the pecking order and now latest reports in Tuttosport via The Sun claim that Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly 'approved' the sale of Martial to Juventus in the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old Frenchman's future has been subject to intense speculation in the last few months. In fact, in an interview in March, Martial's agent was not too clear about the forward's future.

He said: "Will [Martial] stay in Manchester in the summer? I'm sorry but at the moment I cannot say anything else about it.

"His goal is to win the FA Cup and to cement second place in the Premier League with United to qualify for next season's Champions League."

In case you didn't know...

Martial has not had the best of seasons

Bought by Louis van Gaal in 2015 for a fee believed to be around £55 million, Martial quickly hit his stride at Old Trafford scoring and creating some beautiful goals in his debut season. However, after Jose Mourinho's arrival, the 22-year-old has struggled to rediscover his best form and has often been left out of the starting 11 in crucial matches.

Also, Alexis Sanchez's arrival in January has only increased the competition for starting berths at United and it will be interesting to see where the Frenchman will be playing next season.

The heart of the matter

While Martial has been heavily linked with Juventus, the same report in The Sun claims that a player plus cash deal involving Willian and Chelsea is also on the cards for Jose Mourinho and Manchester United.

With Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford currently ahead of the talented Frenchman in the pecking order, it will not come as a surprise to many if Martial does indeed end up leaving Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

Rumour rating/probability

7/10

There have been persistent rumours about Martial's future this season and with the 22-year-old keen to get regular playing time, we might just see the Frenchman working his magic in a new team next season.

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Martial definitely has the potential to become a world-class superstar!

Author's take

While Martial might have struggled a bit this season, there is no denying the obvious talent and skills he possesses. Although the likes of Sanchez and Rashford are more than capable of winning matches for the Red Devils, Manchester United should think twice before 'approving' a sale for the talented 22-year-old forward.