Manchester United’s hopes of selling Anthony Martial to Marseille have just suffered another blow as Marseille seemingly shut the door to the Premier League frontman.
It turns out that finding a buyer for an injury-prone, incredibly well-paid striker – one who is due to become a free-agent only a few months down the line – is easier said than done.
Funny, that. Anthony Martial is reportedly set to see out the remainder of his £250,000-a-week Manchester United contract, before bringing a long overdue end to nearly a decade-long stay at Old Trafford in July rather than in January.
Links with clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey have gone quiet. Marseille meanwhile – a club who have quite a tradition when it comes to signing underperforming big-names from Premier League teams – appear to be favouring a more low-risk, long-term solution in attack.
Manchester United stuck with Anthony Martial
Foot Mercato and RMC Sport both claim that Marseille have agreed a deal worth around £7 million to bring in Bodo/Glimt frontman Faris Moumbagna.
At 23, Moumbanga is younger than Martial, cheaper than Martial, and will touch down in France without a suitcase chock-full of bandages and plasters.
With 24 goals since joining Bodo/Glimt from Kristiansund – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s hometown club – Moumbanga is also a forward on the rise, rather than one seemingly past his peak a la Martial.
The £36 million signing from Monaco has scored only twice in all competitions this season. He hasn’t featured since December’s calamitous 3-0 home defeat by AFC Bournemouth, meanwhile, although Erik ten Hag has put his absence down to fitness issues rather than any Jadon Sancho-like falling-out in the aftermath of that very public dispute at St James’ Park six weeks ago.
Only onePremier League goal all season
“He’s not fit. So, he’s not okay. We want all the players to be fit and prepared,” Ten Hag explains.
“In this moment, he is not (fit or prepared). We have to make him fit. It’s his job as well to get ready for the next game but, in this moment, he isn’t.
“He is in medical treatment, and he has to recover.”
Man United have already managed to get Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Alvaro Fernandez and Hannibal Mejbri off the books this month, albeit only on initial loan deals. Sergio Reguilon has returned to Tottenham Hotspur, while Facundo Pellistri is expected to return to La Liga with Granada.
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