Manchester United fans on social media were stunned after learning that Anthony Martial is “only” 21 months away from being eligible for a testimonial at Old Trafford.
Old Trafford has been no stranger to hosting testimonials for several club legends, including the likes of Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
Martial was brought to Old Trafford in 2015 by former United manager Louis van Gaal after the Red Devils paid an initial fee of £36m to French side Monaco.
The 28-year-old United striker was used under ex-United managers Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Martial still part of Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad.
Martial has shown moments of brilliance for United through his flair and composed finishing, despite the Frenchman’s consistency being questioned.
The former France international has frustrated fans and pundits with his form, with Martial never really emanating the same prolific output as United’s past strikers.
Martial has lifted a Europa League title, an FA Cup and a League Cup with United, with the former Monaco star scoring 90 times in 316 appearances for his current side.
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United fans react to tweet about Martial and potential testimonial
The i newspaper’s chief football writer, Daniel Storey, took to X on Saturday and caught the eye of United fans with his tweet about Martial.
According to Storey, Martial is only 21 months away from reaching eligibility for a testimonial and United fans were quick to voice their thoughts on the matter.
While some United fans argued that Martial would ‘deserve’ it, others felt it perfectly summed up the club’s problems since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
“Not sure anything sums up Manchester United’s problems more,” one fan said.
Someone else commented: “That’s football’s heritage of our last 10-15 years.”
Another added: “That sums up Manchester United Football Club for a decade.”
A fourth tweeted: “This sums up Manchester United post-Fergie in one. Hoarding underperforming players for nearly a decade [and] I say hoarding cos [that’s] what it basically is really.”
“Let that sink in,” one X user simply stated.
While a sixth wrote: “If you want to summon up the decline in the football club, here you go.”
And a seventh posted: “Describe the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era in one tweet…”
Martial likely won’t reach United testimonial date
It seems increasingly unlikely that Martial will be at Old Trafford by the time 2025 rolls around, with the Frenchman out of contract at the end of the season.
Martial is now battling for a place in the starting XI against Rasmus Hojlund, who arrived at United last summer in a £72m deal from Serie A side Atalanta.
Ten Hag identified Hojlund as a top target and the 20-year-old United striker is seen as a long-term forward option for the Premier League club.
The United boss has been frustrated with the lack of goalscoring output from his forward options, with Martial failing to deliver a consistent return for the Dutchman.
While Martial remained at Old Trafford after his unsuccessful loan spell at Sevilla in 2022, this could well and truly be the Frenchman’s final season at United.
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