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What’s the rumour?
As per reports from Telegraph, Chelsea have joined the race to sign Anthony Martial this summer. The Manchester United player has become unsettled of late due to lack of playing time.
In case you didn't know...
Ever since his arrival at Manchester United from AS Monaco, Martial has been a fan-favourite. He scored on his debut for the club against fierce rivals Liverpool and has gone on to score 36 goals in 137 appearances for the club.
The 22-year-old has played 44 games for United in all competitions and has scored 11 goals this season. He also earned himself a call-up to the France national team in 2015 and has won 18 caps for his country. He has a contract at United till 2019.
The heart of the matter
Following Alexis Sanchez's arrival in January, Martial has had to settle for opportunities from the bench and play second-fiddle to the Chilean. Mourinho preferred Sanchez on his left-wing and Martial has sometimes been asked to play out of his position as well.
So, as per the report, Chelsea is monitoring his situation at United and if the player decides to leave the club this summer, they are ready to give competition to the likes of Juventus and Bayern Munich who have also expressed an interest in the player.
Eden Hazard has also had his share of exit talks and the club is eyeing up suitable targets if the Belgian leaves this summer.
Rumour rating/probability - 4/10
Despite many sources reporting the same news, it is extremely unlikely that United will sell Martial to a direct rival, that is, if they decide to sell him after all.
Video: Martial in action this season
Author’s take
Martial is one of the brightest prospects in world football at the moment and needs regular playing time to continue his development. Mourinho will want to keep the player but if the Portuguese is not able to give him the minutes he deserves, it will be better for him to seek a move away. But there is almost no chance that United will sell him to a Premier League club.
