Martial back but rift deepens

ANTHONY MARTIAL returned to training at Manchester United yesterday, although the France international’s summer of discontent shows no sign of ending, with the transfer deadline now five days away.

The 22-year-old had been absent from Jose Mourinho’s firstteam squad for nine days, after he left the club’s tour of the United States on July 25 to be with his partner for the birth of their second child.

His son, Swan, was born a day later, but Mourinho revealed that Martial had not sought his permission to return home, and urged him to go back across the Atlantic to re-join the club’s depleted squad.

Martial did not do so, and resumed training with the club at their Carrington training base only yesterday, further souring relations between club and player in what has been a fraught close season.

Chelsea are known to head a list of clubs interested in a forward who has shown only glimpses of his potential under Mourinho’s reign.

Yet, with the early closure of the transfer window looming on Thursday, any talks about a potential move have yet to proceed in earnest and Martial is facing the prospect of remaining under Mourinho’s management until the January transfer window.

United would seek a £70m fee for Martial and are reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival.

Meanwhile, former Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson has been given a chance to get his career back on track after signing a short-term deal with Wigan.

The Derry man has been out of football since he was shown the door by Sunderland for a second drink driving offence.

In May, he was spared jail by a judge who said the former Manchester United player had a number of “significant psychological issues”.

Wigan boss Paul Cook has decided to take a chance on the 30-year-old ahead of their return to the Championship.

“Darron is a talented footballer who has played at the highest level and is a good addition to our squad,” said Cook.