Anthony Martial’s Manchester United career is all but over (Picture: Getty)
Anthony Martial is heading for the Manchester United exit door at last either in January or at the end of the season.
The 28-year-old, one of the club’s current longest-serving players, has just six months left on his current deal and, according to the Athletic, there is no desire on United’s part to trigger a 12-month extension clause.
Martial signed a long-term deal in 2019 but he has struggled to convince under a succession of managers who have been frustrated by his inconsistency on the pith and his inability to maintain fitness.
The former Monaco star was loaned out to Sevilla nearly two years ago but underwhelmed during a brief stint in La Liga and has appeared only sporadically under Ten Hag.
Martial has scored just one Premier League goal so far this season and looks ill-equipped to act as the main alternative to summer signing Rasmus Hojlund who is yet to break his Premier League duck.
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Ten Hag started with Martial up front against Bournemouth last weekend but his afternoon last less than an hour before he was replaced with his side already trailing to Dominic Solanke’s early opener.
The decision to haul Martial off and replace him with Hojlund was cheered ironically by the Old Trafford faithful, but Ten Hag chose to defend his most experienced forward in his post-match press conference.
Asked how Martial can realistically continue at the club given his reception and awful goalscoring returns, Ten Hag replied: ‘Two weeks ago against Everton he played a very good game!
‘So he has absolutely the competencies and the abilities to play so I don’t think it’s fair, after a performance like this, to go to one player now. As a group we failed, altogether.’
United are unlikely to sanction a full-scale clearout next months but are also open to offers for the likes of Jadon Sancho, Casemiro, Raphael Varane and Donn van de Beek.
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