According to The Times, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is ‘prepared to sanction the sale’ of Anthony Martial if the player requests and exit this summer. The £65k-per-week forward is a fan favourite, so supporters wouldn’t take kindly to his departure, but Mourinho won’t stand in his way.
Martial joined United from AS Monaco in 2015 and has gone on to score and create 63 goals in 133 games in all competitions. The 22-year-old has struggled for playing time this season, however, making just 17 Premier League starts and being hauled off in 13 of them.
With competition from Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata, Martial has missed out at times and could consider a move away in pursuit of more playing time – the Frenchman was an unused substitute in the FA Cup semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Losing a player who’s contributed 14 league goals in 17 starts this season could give Mourinho a headache. Martial would be difficult to replace without paying a considerable sum given how frequently he chips in with goals and assists.
The youngster won’t be the only player shown the exit door this summer, with Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind and Marouane Fellaini having uncertain futures, but Mourinho risks the wrath of supporters if he does let such a fan favourite like Martial leave.
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