Martial still has a future but where?
A YEAR ago at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Anthony Martial produced a sublime piece of skill to set up Manchester United’s goal against European champions Real Madrid and then ballooned a penalty over the bar in the shoot-out.
That day seemed to sum up how Martial’s career has drifted under Jose Mourinho – plenty of potential and the ability to dazzle but, ultimately, a disappointment.
12 months on, little has changed other than the fact Martial has decided his future lies away from Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old Frenchman returns to Santa Clara to face San Jose Earthquakes today wishing he was somewhere else.
Martial’s agent Philippe Lamboley made that much clear last month when he revealed the striker’s frustration over his lack of first-team opportunities under Mourinho and slow progress in talks over a new contract.
‘After thinking about all the factors and possibilities, Anthony wants to leave Manchester United,’ said Lamboley.
‘I think that when United, the most powerful club in the world, do not find an agreement after eight months of negotiations then they do not really want to keep such an important player in their squad.
‘We do not share the same vision for Anthony’s future. That’s why this decision has come — it’s a well thought-out decision.
‘Everyone will have their opinion but I think he needs to resume his career. The time has come.’
Martial’s partner Melanie Da Cruz is due to give birth to their first baby next week (he also has a three-year-old daughter with his ex-partner Samantha Jacquelinet).
Having initially decided to move out of their city centre apartment in Manchester and find a larger family home in Cheshire, it’s understood they have decided to shelve that plan. Tottenham and Chelsea are among the English clubs to show an interest. Juventus did until they signed Cristiano Ronaldo, while Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are keeping an eye on developments.
The problem for them and, indeed, Martial himself is that United’s hierarchy have no desire whatsoever to sell him.
Martial may be entering the final year of his contract, but the club will extend it by triggering a 12month option to protect their investment on a player who arrived from Monaco in 2015 in a deal worth £36million, rising to a possible £58m.
His first season under Louis van Gaal was a roaring success as Martial played down the middle and was United’s top scorer with 17.
However, the arrival of Mourinho and subsequent signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku saw him lose the No9 shirt and revert, reluctantly, to the wing.
He scored only eight goals in the first campaign under the new manager. Last season, he started with five in his first eight games, but ended on 11 after United’s acquisition of Alexis Sanchez limited his appearances even further.
It also contributed to Martial losing his place in the France squad and he was a spectator when teammate Paul Pogba lifted the World Cup in Moscow last weekend.
Martial will once again find himself competing for one place with Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata.
Mourinho has said that he could be given more chances to play down the middle and take some of the burden off Lukaku, but that remains to be seen.
Too often, the manager has been reluctant to trust a player he believes lacks the tactical discipline required in his team. There is no doubt too that Martial can look surly and disinterested.
Martial looks low on confidence and motivation — a shadow of the newcomer who electrified Old Trafford in his first season.
Team-mates still believe he has plenty to offer, however. After he led the line for an hour against Club America in Phoenix on Friday, Ander Herrera said: ‘He can be one of the best players in the world and I think he is very focused this season to smash it.
‘When you have players like Anthony, Rashford, Jesse, Juan, Alexis, those kind of players that can change the game, if one of them cannot play, we have three or four more so we have lots of options.
‘I am confident with them because they are all amazing players and Anthony looks very sharp.’
United return to the Levi’s Stadium before facing International Champions Cup games against AC Milan, Liverpool and Madrid in the US. The opportunity is there for Martial, in the absence of Lukaku and Rashford, to meet the new season head-on and change the narrative of the last two years.
Whether he wants it any more is another matter.