Why Manchester United should keep hold of Anthony Martial amidst Serie A interest
According to Tuttosport (h/t The Daily Mirror), Inter Milan are considering a move for Manchester United forward Anthony Martial to replace Lautaro Martinez in the summer.
Lautaro Martinez, who has impressed for Inter Milan this season with 11 goals in 21 Serie A appearances, is seen as the long-term replacement for Luis Suarez by Barcelona and a €150million summer move is on the cards, the Tuttosport claims. (h/t The Daily Mirror)
With Inter Milan fearful of losing their star striker to the Catalan giants, they are looking to sign Anthony Martial from Manchester United.
Martial, 24, joined Manchester United as a teenage prodigy from AS Monaco back in 2015 under then-manager Louis van Gaal. He has had an inconsistent time at Old Trafford and is yet to fully realise his true potential.
After a fantastic debut season at United where the £250,000-a-week Frenchman netted 17 goals, Martial’s career has blown hot and cold. He’s a gifted footballer but has often struggled to maintain his highest levels on a consistent basis.
In the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, the 24-year-old scored just 8 and 11 goals respectively. He endured an inconsistent 2018/19 season, scoring just 12 goals and three assists in 38 games in all competitions.
In fairness to Martial, however, he has thrived in the No.9 role this season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Despite missing more than a month’s action with a hamstring problem, the French forward has netted 10 goals and supplied three assists in 21 Premier League games. In all, he has 15 goals in 31 games, two shy of United’s top scorer Marcus Rashford, who is currently out injured.
It seems like the 24-year-old is starting to perform at his best more often, with three goals in his last three games, including an important header in an impressive 2-0 away win over Chelsea and a classic finish in Sunday’s comprehensive 3-0 victory over Watford.
Since Rashford has been sidelined with a back injury, the onus of scoring goals has fallen on Martial’s shoulders. The 24-year-old may have not been particularly excellent for Solskjaer’s side but he has played a vital role in helping the Mancunian club stay in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
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Verdict
The Frenchman has immense experience under his belt, having netted 63 goals in 205 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions. Predominantly a left-winger, he is capable of playing anywhere along the frontline and his versatility has been handy for the club.
Martial still has time to hit his peak but he’s at the stage of his career now where he needs to be delivering week in, week out.
The Massy-born forward is a vital member of Solskjaer’s squad and the manager has to ensure that he stays put beyond the summer. Martial is a top talent who still has a long way to go in his career, so United should keep hold of him at any cost.
