Solskjaer determined to stand by lacklustre Martial but the move for
There was much bemusement when it was announced on transfer deadline day that Odion Ighalo was on his way to Old Trafford.
Gary Neville was not alone in finding it astonishing that a recruitment department which, Ed Woodward, the United executive vice-chairman, boasted had scouted more than 800 right-backs before signing Aaron Wan-bissaka, had so little up its sleeve that it had ended up signing on loan a striker who, in his past 15 appearances in England had delivered zero goals. Yet, watching United labour in the goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, it was not hard to conclude that, bloated as he might be after spending three years in the Chinese Super League, the former Watford man could be an improvement on what the club have.
“He’ll offer us something different,” said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the United manager, of Ighalo, who will cost a staggering £4 million in loan fees and wages for his three months.
Which is rather more than the incumbent of the United No9 shirt offers. Because, right now, Anthony Martial offers nothing.
Solskjaer’s season has been hamstrung by the continued absence through injury of Scott Mctominay,
Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, his three brightest outfield players. But the manager has hardly been helped by the fact that the man he needs to step up in a crisis and lead the line has almost entirely disappeared from view.
Martial was on the teamsheet on Saturday, but it would be misleading to suggest he was in the team.
In the dying moments Wan-bissaka finally managed to send a cross into the box that evaded the first defender. But the only person there to meet it was Diogo Dalot, the reserve right-back who had come on as substitute, but he spooned the chance wide. Far from busting a gut, Martial, was on the