Manchester United had to make some tough decisions this summer and that included releasing players at the end of their contracts.
Ineos were on board for their first summer transfer window and fans are largely happy with Manchester United’s business.
Five first-team signings arrived as Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte all signed on.
United also had to let players go though and the most difficult deal saw Scott McTominay sign for Napoli.
United at least brought in decent cash for McTominay but some players moved on free transfers as Ineos took charge.
Raphael Varane joined Como but is already injury, Shola Shoretire joined PAOK and Charlie McNeill has shown promise at Sheffield Wednesday after leaving the club at the end of their deals.
Anthony Martial receives surprise offer
Then there is Anthony Martial, who remains without a club after leaving United at the end of last season.
The Frenchman hasn’t played since December and United, rather unsurprisingly, let him go on a free transfer.
Martial has attracted some interest this summer with Atalanta interested early in August but no deal materialised.
Reports this week even suggested that AEK Athens are plotting a club-record deal for Martial in terms of wages.
Fabrizio Romano now reports that Brazilian side Flamengo are exploring a shock deal to sign Martial.
Flamengo’s top striker Pedro has suffered an injury and contact is understood to have been made over a deal for Martial.
Romano claims that Martial is ‘considering several options’ for his next move with Flamengo now seemingly in the running for a surprise deal.
Martial could join former Manchester United talent at Flamengo
Whether Martial is interested in a move to Brazil remains to be seen, but he wouldn’t be the only former United player at Flamengo.
A quick look at their squad brings up the name of Guillermo Varela.
The Uruguayan right back is best remembered as the first United signing after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure from the club.
Varela signed from Penarol but managed only 11 first-team appearances for United.
After loans at Real Madrid Castilla and Eintracht Frankfurt, Varela returned to Penarol permanently in 2017.
Varela back to Europe with Copenhagen and Dynamo Moscow, only to continue his nomadic carer with a 2022 switch to Flamengo.
Now 31, Varela has carved out a decent career for himself and will be looking for more success after winning the Copa Libertadores title in 2022.
Signing Martial may well help Flamengo win another Copa Libertadores crown and we would see both Varela and Martial thrive together in Brazil with talks now ongoing.
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