What’s the story?
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is likely to get rid of Anthony Martial from his roster. The Europa League champions are reportedly ‘open to listening offers’ for the 21-year-old attacker.
According to the Independent, the United manager is looking to free up funds to bring in Atletico Madrid talisman Antoine Griezmann and Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic. And Mourinho feels that selling the ex-Monaco player for big money move is the way to go.
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Martial, who is known for his blistering pace, was signed by Louis van Gaal in 2015. The Frenchman was labelled the most expensive teenager in world football after he completed an astonishing £58 million move from Monaco.
After finishing his debut season on a high by scoring the winner in the FA Cup final against Everton, Martial has had a rather disappointing campaign this season. He has played just 25 games in the Premier League, scoring four goals and providing six assists.
The heart of the matter
While United have all the financial sorts for landing the Atletico striker, Independent also indicate the Red Devils are short of around £15 million for Ivan Perisic. Reportedly, United want the deal to be sealed at £35 million while Inter are demanding no less than £50 million for Perisic.
Jose Mourinho has also shown his loss of faith in Martial. According to British website Metro, in an interview, Mourinho said that he believes Martial can play up to his full potential, but he needs to give him [Mourinho] “the things he likes” to star under the Portuguese manager.
What's next?
Following heavy criticism from his manager, Martial may consider a move away from Old Trafford.
The French speedster is also linked to a move back to his homeland as Paris Saint-Germain, and former club AS Monaco are interested.
On the other hand, Mourinho is all set to agree to a new five-year deal with United. Club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is reportedly about to spend a whopping £200 million in the transfer window to bring in at least four new players.
Author's take
With the Griezmann and Perisic rumours getting louder by each passing day, there can only be one conclusion for Martial - to head towards the exit door. He has a lot of time on his side, and he could only get better if he joins another club.
