Barcelona told to pay €30 million to land Manchester United outcast: Reports

Reports from Catalan outlet El Nacional suggest that Barcelona have been told they will need to cough up €30 million to sign Anthony Martial away from Manchester United.

Anthony Martial signed for Manchester United from AS Monaco in September 2015 in a deal that made him the most expensive teenager at the time. The Frenchman made an immediate impact at the club, scoring a wonderful solo goal to win the game on his debut against bitter rivals Liverpool. Martial ended his maiden campaign as Manchester United’s top scorer that season and the sky seemed to be the limit for the Frenchman at Old Trafford.

However, the 26-year-old has been alarmingly inconsistent at Old Trafford in recent times. The Frenchman has seen his form deteriorate since finishing as Manchester United’s top scorer in the 2019/20 season.

Martial has fallen completely out of favor for Manchester United this campaign, managing only 359 minutes on the pitch all season and contributing one goal in ten appearances. The alarming drop in form has prompted Manchester United to contemplate selling the forward, with Barcelona among his suitors.

Barcelona are currently without a recognized goal scorer at the club and Xavi has had to deploy Memphis Depay centrally due to Sergio Aguero’s unavailability. Bringing in Martial could help Xavi rebuild Blaugrana, who has fallen since Lionel Messi's exit.

Manchester United’s asking price of €30 million is a sum that Barcelona can afford despite their financial issues, and reports also suggest that Martial would be open to a move if it materializes. The final call, however, rests with Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez, who could green light the move for the one-time wonder kid.

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I'd rather talk about players who are here: Xavi keeps mum on Manchester United star's intention to join Barcelona

When the Blaugrana manager was asked about the players Barcelona could purchase to bolster their options, he conceded that some players would have to leave, but refused to give names. Xavi said:

"The club is trying to strengthen the squad, and if we need to strengthen the squad with players coming in, some will have to leave. I’m not going to talk about names now, I’ll talk about the players we have now."

When pressed on specifically about Edinson Cavani's reported intent to join Barcelona from Manchester United, Xavi replied:

"I think he’s a good player, but I’d rather talk about the players who are here, who are important, who need the love of the fans and from us as well. But yes, Cavani is a great player."

There has definitely been a change in energy at the Camp Nou since their club legend Xavi took over. However, it remains to be seen whether the Spaniard can mastermind an overturn of fortune in terms of results.