Anthony Martial faces an uncertain future at Manchester United after struggling for fitness and playing time this season.
The 27-year-old has spent most of the campaign out with injury and was transfer listed in February, per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, so it appears Erik ten Hag wants him out over the summer.
Martial has made 14/46 appearances in 2022/23, scoring six goals with two assists. He’s played in only 30% of United’s games across the board and has amassed only 17.4% of available playing time (722/4140 minutes).
Despite this, the French international’s output has been impressive with a goal contribution every 90 minutes, so he’s still an efficient striker.
Ten Hag could end up not having a recognised centre-forward at the end of the season if Martial is sold as Luckhurst predicts, as Cristiano Ronaldo had his contract mutually terminated in November while Wout Weghorst is expected to return to his parent club Burnley in July, so the 27-year-old may be worth keeping.
Martial’s deal at Old Trafford expires in 2024 and there is a genuine risk of losing him on a free transfer if he’s unwilling to put pen to paper on a contract extension, but United could do with him on the pitch, not just to make back the money spent in 2015.
The Frenchman, who has scored 85 goals with 52 assists from 283 games since joining for €60m (£52.9m) from AS Monaco, spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla and scored just one goal in 12 games, so his time at Old Trafford looked up when Ten Hag took over.
The United manager wanted Martial to be his main striker for the season before injury killed the opportunity and he may not be giving up just yet.
The Red Devils can’t afford to sell every flawed player in the same transfer window, so Martial could be retained.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
