Erik ten Hag will hand ‘significant role’ to Man Utd squad player after transfer U-turn
Manchester United striker Anthony Martial is now set to play an important role in the rest of the Red Devils’ season, according to reports.
The France international has struggled with injuries and form for the majority of his eight years at Old Trafford with the 27-year-old joining as a teenager from Monaco in a deal worth around £36m.
Martial has scored 89 goals in 307 appearances in all competitions but has scored one goal in nine appearances this term and only 17 in all competitions over the previous three campaigns.
The Man Utd striker even spent the second half of last campaign out on loan at La Liga side Sevilla as he found himself on the periphery of Erik ten Hag’s plans.
He scored just one goal in 12 outings for Sevilla as similar issues impacted his time in Spain and he has made two Premier League starts under Ten Hag this term.
However, GiveMeSport claim that Martial ‘has not given up on his Man Utd career’ despite his lack of game time and his Red Devils ‘journey seems to have done a U-turn’.
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It is understood that the Frenchman ‘is no longer a certainty to leave in the January transfer window’ despite Ten Hag showing he was ready to sell the striker over the summer.
But, with no club making a ‘suitable bid’, the Man Utd boss now ‘believes the French striker can play a significant role with United facing a heavy match schedule until Christmas’.
Insiders have told GiveMeSport that Martial is a ‘diligent and committed worker in training and has not given up on his United career’.
Martial has been heavily criticised by a number of pundits in the past for failing to live up to expectations with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness particularly critical of the Man Utd man during the summer.
Speaking before the Red Devils signed Rasmus Hojlund, Souness told Sky Bet: “Obviously Manchester United are missing a striker.
“I think Anthony Martial was in the last chance saloon three or four years ago when he signed his last contract. He’s a talented boy but he just doesn’t seem to be able to do it consistently.
“You could go and watch a team from an unknown location, outside the four divisions and any Saturday turn up on a non-league ground and go, ‘Wow, he’s a good player, he could play in the Premier League’. But that might be the only time he does it.
“The top players do it every single week – that’s why they are top players and that’s why they win stuff. Martial is not that, he doesn’t turn up every week.
“If you play for Manchester United, you’ll never play an easy game. You’re a scalp for everyone.
“His time has come and gone at Manchester United. They need a centre forward to get goals on a regular basis to help Marcus Rashford, who had a good season last year.”
