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Despite costing a massive £36 million – a world-record fee for a teenager – back in 2015, it appears that Anthony Martial has reached the end of the road at Manchester United.
Quite what’s gone wrong is hard to say really as despite the odd loss of form, he’s largely been a bright spark at Old Trafford. But his naysayers – Jose Mourinho included – just haven’t been impressed and his attitude has also been questioned at times.
Current reports have Martial being told by Mourinho that he’s surplus to requirements at United – probably due to the January signing of Alexis Sanchez, who’s seemingly taken the Frenchman’s spot in the Red Devils’ starting line-up.
So where could he end up going? As one of the world’s most highly rated young players, he’d have no shortage of suitors – but these five destinations could suit him best.
#1 Bayern Munich
The reigning German champions, Bayern Munich could find themselves in the Champions League final if they can pull off a big victory over Real Madrid in the semi-finals over the next couple of weeks, but despite their position as one of Europe’s best sides, some of their top players are clearly getting no younger.
Most notably, flying wingers-come-attackers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery – for years staples of Munich’s potent attack – are both out of contract in the summer.
They’ve both been offered one-year deals to stick around, but given their advanced ages – Robben is 34, Ribery 35 – the likely outcome is that both men will seek longer-term deals elsewhere, perhaps abroad.
That’s where a move for Martial could make sense. Able to play on either the left or right side of the pitch and comfortable with using both feet, the young Frenchman could fit right into Bayern’s squad and fill the gap left by either Robben or Ribery.
Would the move make sense for Martial? It’d allow him to move to a side equally successful, if not moreso, than United, but it’d put him under far less pressure, as the Bundesliga is a weaker league than the Premier League overall and it’d be a chance for him to regain some of his lost confidence.
He’d also be hooking up with international teammate Kingsley Coman, and with Coman on one side and Martial on the other with Robert Lewandowski as the traditional central striker, Bayern would definitely have a dangerous forward line.
#2 Arsenal
With the news that Arsene Wenger is set to leave Arsenal at the end of the season and plenty of players – including Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey – seeing their contracts run down, it’s pretty clear that the Gunners will probably be a squad in serious flux come the summer.
The likelihood is that whoever turns out to be the new manager will want to freshen things up, and in that sense, signing a player like Martial could make a lot of sense.
If Arsenal’s new boss turns out to be Leonardo Jardim, as some reports have suggested, then a move for Martial would almost sound perfect.
Firstly, the Portuguese boss is renowned for working with and developing younger players, and during his time at Monaco, he’s done wonders with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Thomas Lemar – all of whom are now ranked amongst the best attacking players in the world.
Secondly, Jardim and Martial already know each other well – it was, of course, the Portuguese who brought the Frenchman through at Monaco and helped him develop into one of the world’s most highly rated teenagers. Hooking up with his old boss could help Martial to regain some of the confidence he’s lost under Jose Mourinho at United.
Does a move to the Emirates become null and void should someone else rather than Jardim take over? Perhaps not – Arsenal will still be in the market for new stars and Martial would fit the bill, even if it’s hard to work out exactly how he’d fit into a team already sporting the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
#3 Tottenham Hotspur
If Martial definitely decides to stay in England should he leave Manchester United, he could do far worse than a move to Tottenham Hotspur, who are already rumoured to be interested in signing the French star.
Sure, it’d be a step down for him in terms of the profile of Spurs as a club in comparison to United, but it’d also give him a chance to hook up with one of the most renowned bosses in the game right now – Mauricio Pochettino – in a situation with far less pressure.
Ever since arriving in England with Southampton, Pochettino has developed a reputation for helping younger players to reach or even surpass their potential, and the likes of Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Dele Alli have grown into superstars under the watchful eye of the Argentine boss.
We all know Martial has the raw talent, but if any manager currently in the Premier League could get the most out of it, it’d likely be Pochettino.
Tottenham might struggle to pay a monstrous fee for the Frenchman, but there are other ways of bringing players to a club – one option would be to offer United some kind of swap deal involving either Toby Alderweireld or Danny Rose, two players rumoured to be on their way out at Spurs this summer and who have already been looked at by the Red Devils.
A move to Spurs would probably see Martial locked in a battle with Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela for a starting spot as a wide forward, but it’d be easier to see the Frenchman get into a team ahead of those three than it would be to see him supplant Alexis Sanchez at Old Trafford. In terms of a Premier League move, this one could make a lot of sense.
#4 Paris Saint Germain
Current reports suggest that Martial and his family are happily settled in England following three seasons at Manchester United, but if it’s home cooking that the Frenchman is craving in terms of a move away from Old Trafford, then his native country’s biggest club Paris St. Germain would probably be the most likely destination.
The reports linking Martial with a move to PSG seem tenuous at best right now, but the fact is that the French champions are certainly rich enough to be able to easily buy a player of his calibre, and with the side missing out on Champions League glory once again this season despite adding the attacking talents of both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, they’re clearly going to spend big again this summer.
With Neymar’s future at the Parc des Princes apparently in doubt – recent reports have even linked him with a move to Manchester United – then more firepower would probably be required by the French side and who better to fill the void than Martial?
Granted he isn’t as proven at the top level as some of PSG’s other targets – the likes of Paulo Dybala – but his young age and clear talent would make him a worthy buy.
If Martial ends up attracting a bidding war this summer then few clubs would be capable of out-spending PSG – who are of course backed by Qatari money – and so to see the Frenchman returning to his home country might not be a massive shock.
#5 Barcelona
Despite looking set to win La Liga at a relative canter this season – they’re still unbeaten in league competition at the time of writing – Ernesto Valverde’s first season as Barcelona manager hasn’t gone completely without a hitch as his side were eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals by Roma.
And of course, at a club like Barcelona, simply winning the league isn’t always good enough.That’s why they’ll likely be looking to splash the cash on new stars this summer, particularly in the attacking areas.
Of course, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez remain world-class talents at the head of Barca’s attack, but they’re not getting any younger – they’re both the wrong side of 30 now – and so how much longer they can keep going at the top is always a question mark. Meanwhile, young talent Ousmane Dembele has spent large swathes of the season sidelined with injury.
Reports suggest that Barca actually considered swooping for Martial last summer before choosing to sign his countryman Dembele instead, and of course, despite his appearances becoming rarer recently, he’s still clearly a talented player who could definitely make a mark at the Nou Camp.
With a fee of £60m being bandied around, he’s definitely affordable for Barca, and a move there could rejuvenate his career without him taking a step down in terms of the profile of his club.
