Manchester United have heaped a huge sum on Anthony Martial to scare away potential buyers.
Anthony Martial has been out-of-favor this season under Jose Mourinho, battling for contention with Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford. This resulted in the Manchester United man missing out on his France call up, which was never going to make him pleased.
The transfer speculation has been ongoing for quite some time now. The suitors have moved from Arsenal and Lyon, to Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid.
Of course, United will do anything to keep him from moving to a direct rival, which is why they’ve slapped a huge valuation on his forehead.
It was reported that Ed Woodward and his team demanded £70m, however to fend off rivals, they have now asked for £75m. This news is according to the Mirror.
It’s a smart tactic, as they are aware how stingy Tottenham are with money. And with Real Madrid tailoring their interest around Alisson, their chances could be hindered also.
Bienvenue à Paris?
If your French is rusty like mine (thank God for Google Translate), that means ‘Welcome to Paris’.
Manchester United’s high valuation certainly won’t scare off Paris Saint-Germain, one of the wealthiest clubs in the world. They will become even richer should they sell Neymar.
Martial isn’t at the level which Neymar is at, but he’s certainly a worthy replacement. In his home country, Martial will look to continue where he left off with Monaco.
This will give him the international pedigree which he’s been missing, as well as playing under new manager Thomas Tuchel, a master in raising youth prodigies.
I think this is the most likely destination for him, albeit it’s arguably not the best. He will still have plenty of time to improve, and Tuchel won’t be as harsh on him as Mourinho has been.
Will United regret selling him?
There has been a number of stars which Jose Mourinho has let go, only for his decisions to come round and bite his backside.
The two most recent examples are Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, both of which battled for the PFA Player of the Year award this season.
He gave up on them when they were young at Chelsea, and they both excelled elsewhere (ironically, the two main rivals of the club he now manages).
Martial still has an abundance of potential, and he’s shown that in many cameos this season. In my opinion, he’s more valuable than Rashford and Lingard, so they shouldn’t be placed on a high pedestal.
It’s understandable, Martial doesn’t fit Mourinho’s philosophy of hard work. However, it would be a real shame if the same old story happened once more.
Next: Can Germany continue their dominance?
Do you think United should stick with Martial, or look elsewhere?