Jose Mourinho must not contemplate selling Anthony Martial 

Jose Mourinho has sold Premier League sensations Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah in the past. But Manchester United can’t afford for him to make a costly mistake with Anthony Martial. With only 17 starts this season, the 22-year-old has now been linked with a move away in the summer with Juventus, Arsenal, and Chelsea all being reportedly interested.

The signing of Alexis Sanchez in January has had a negative impact on Martial's progression. Before the Chilean's arrival, Martial was on track for his best ever goal-scoring season, having already scored 11 goals, and had a hand in five of the eight goals United have scored when he was in starting lineup in 2018; since Sanchez joined, the French winger has just one assist to his name and has looked a little short of confidence.

When Anthony Martial signed for Manchester United in 2015, it was hoped that the young Frenchman could light up the Theatre of Dreams for many years to come. The prodigious talent quickly burst onto the scene, scoring a fantastic goal on his debut against bitter rivals Liverpool.

Fans and pundits alike looked on in awe as Martial danced through teams with superb control, flair and lightning pace. The Frenchman then would go on to win player of the month in September, ensuring his first month in England was one to remember. Three years on and Martial’s career at United hasn’t entirely progressed as he would have hoped.

Jose Mourinho on numerous occasion pinpointed his lack of consistency. He never looked convinced when speaking about the Frenchman and there is always a backhanded compliment in there even while admiring him.

Manchester United manager hasn't been able to always accommodate Martial in his starting line-up with Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford also options on the left flank. “At every club and every level, you need more than 11 players and only 11 can start, is as simple as that, there’s nothing I can do,” said Jose Mourinho when quizzed about Martial's lack of playing time.

Martial has been linked with Juventus, Arsenal, and Chelsea for a move away in the summer

With the arrival of Alexis Sanchez in January, Martial's minutes on the pitch have been limited - and many supporters will understand if he's frustrated by a lack of action. But he is only 22 years old and has his best years ahead of him, unlike Sanchez who is on the wrong side of 29. The sale of Martial could end up being a catastrophic mistake United simply can’t afford to make.

Two players that were sold under Mourinho's watch in the past are now vital players for United’s Premier League rivals. Mohamed Salah has produced scintillating performances for Liverpool and has been crowned PFA Player Of The Year for this season, and Kevin De Bruyne has helped Manchester City to the title.

"We decided to put him on loan and he asked for that as well. He wanted to play more minutes, to mature, he wanted to go and we sent him on loan to Fiorentina, and at Fiorentina, he started to mature. Chelsea decided to sell him, OK?" he told ESPN Brazil. Both were in early stages of their development when Mourinho let them go, something he was keen to point out recently. He also attributed the blame to his former employers when it comes to Salah.

But if Martial is allowed to leave this summer, he could come back to haunt Mourinho quickly, with there being few doubts about his quality. If Manchester United want to conquer Europe and challenge City for the title, it’s quite imperative that bright talents like Anthony Martial stay at the club.