Berbatov warns Man Utd against transfer ‘mess’ and hopes ‘angry’ Martial stays
Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov thinks things would “become a mess” if Antoine Griezmann joined from Atletico Madrid in January.
The Red Devils has struggled for goals this campaign with Erik ten Hag’s side currently on 13 Premier League goals in 12 matches, the seventh lowest in the division.
Marcus Rashford – who scored 30 goals in all competitions last season – has only hit the back of the net once this term and summer signing Rasmus Hojlund is yet to help out in the Premier League, despite his Champions League exploits.
Griezmann has scored eight goals in 12 La Liga matches for Atletico Madrid this campaign and he’s been linked with a £22m move to Old Trafford in January.
But Berbatov thinks it would be a poor decision as it would mean Ten Hag would stop playing Hojlund, creating another “mess” for the Man Utd boss.
Berbatov told Betfair: “If United choose to go and buy someone in the January transfer market, I’m curious to see who that’s going to be.
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“Antoine Griezmann has been linked in January, but if he comes, then what happens if Hojlund and Griezmann are fit? Griezmann needs to play because he’s Griezmann, so is Hojlund not playing then?
“If Hojlund doesn’t play, then it’s like, why did you buy him? It would become a mess. I don’t think that transfer will happen.”
Anthony Martial has never lived up to his potential as a Man Utd player and he has struggled to force himself into the starting XI this term with only four starts in 15 appearances.
But Berbatov wants to see Man Utd keep Martial around, he added: “With Hojlund out, who is going to take that place up front? Rashford? We know he doesn’t like it there. Martial? I don’t think he likes it there either. Garnacho? He plays on the wing. So now there is a dilemma – who is going to play as the centre-forward?
“I really hope Martial has a future at Man United. I’m a bit biased because I used to play with him, and I saw the quality he has. Everyone knows that he’s not working the way he should be. He’s not using his quality properly and he’s struggling because of this. He needs to be shaken up a little bit and there are moments where he needs to push hard and change his game.
“I saw in the last couple of games, he did that, he pressed, he was angry in his body language and going hard towards the opposition. He needs to do something extra.
“When you’ve been at a club for a long time, you get complacent. From time to time, you need to challenge yourself and the people around you need to wake you up and say, ‘look, you have so many qualities that you’re not using correctly. Wake up, do more and bring it to the team’.”
