By Sam Preston

Three clubs reportedly want to loan Martial in January

Wantaway Manchester United striker Anthony Martial has loan interest from three clubs, according to Sky Sports.

They claim that Spanish rivals Barcelona and Sevilla are both keen on a loan deal, as well as Italian giants Juventus.

The report says that Martial’s preference would be to join Sevilla because he would have more chance of gametime.

Martial’s agent Philippe Lamboley said earlier this month that the Frenchman wants to leave Old Trafford when the January window opens.

And with the winter market days away from opening, it appears that interest is ramping up in Martial.

That said, it was reported last week that United are currently not interested in subsidising some of his wages in order to secure him a January loan exit.

It remains to be seen how open United are to a loan exit, or whether they want to push to get a transfer fee through a permanent exit.

Barcelona and Juventus are two of the clubs who pushed hardest for the European Super League and clung on long after it was dead.

That is in large part due to their financial troubles so it is no surprise that they want to keep things cheap with a loan deal.

Even if United did demand a fee, Barca are unlikely to be able to pay very much and Juventus might be a little more flush but not by much.

Sevilla are generally more prudent with their finances and sit above Barcelona in second place in La Liga as it stands.

Martial’s early preference for them suggests he is focused more on gametime than the stature of his new club, which is to be admired, and we now wait to see how United respond.

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Sam Preston

Sam Preston is an NCTJ gold standard news and sports journalist who studied with the Press Association. He also has a 2:1 law with French law degree from the University of Birmingham, which included a year studying at Bordeaux Montaigne University. He is an FA Level 1 football coach who appeared on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show in 2018 and has also written digital football content and match-day programme pieces for Colchester United, Mansfield Town and Stockport County.