The rumour mill surrounding Anthony Martial shows no sign of calming down. The Sunday Times reports that United gaffer Jose Mourinho is “prepared to sanction a summer sale” if the France international decides he wants to quit Old Trafford.
Apparently Mourinho is well aware that Martial’s agent is putting out feelers to clubs. The Special One will “not stand in the forward’s way should he request a move”.
That stance, says the paper, is motivated by Mourinho’s desire to splash the cash in the upcoming transfer market. The United boss envisages making a fair mint on the 22-year-old Martial, who has shared duties on the left wing for much of the season with Marcus Rashford.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Although Rashford has also been linked with an Old Trafford exit, it’s Martial who Mourinho is prepared to let go of before he enters the last year of his contract.
Signed from Monaco for nearly £44m, the young wide man has never really settled into the United starting line-up. The Sunday Times alleges that he has told friends that he “expects to change employer following the World Cup”. To that end his agent, Philippe Lamboley, has sounded out several Champions League sides. But when asked to elaborate recently, he replied: “I’m sorry, but at the moment I cannot say anything else about it.”
As to who might be bought to replace Martial and also Marouane Fellaini, who according to weekend reports is definitely on his way out, the Sunday Times namechecks Bordeaux’s Brazilian international Malcom, Monaco ace Thomas Lemar and Ajax youngster Justin Kluivert.
Meanwhile, The Sun has some information about who Mourinho might sign this summer in order to stiffen the sinews of his defence – and it’s none other than Clement Lenglet. The paper says the United manager is planning a “summer swoop for the Sevilla defender”, although he’ll have to fight off interest from Barcelona, who are also tailing the 22-year-old. Valued at around £20m, the France Under-21 Lenglet caught Mourinho’s eye when the two clubs met in this season’s Champions League encounter.
In order to pay for the blocker, Mourinho will axe one or more of Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling.
