Manchester United have reportedly slapped a staggering £100 million price tag on Anthony Martial in order to ward off potential summer suitors.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester United have placed a stunning £100 million price tag on Anthony Martial’s head in a bid to keep him beyond the summer transfer window. The player’s agent Philippe Lamboley made a shocking statement last week claiming the Frenchman wants to depart from Old Trafford.
Martial has endured a frustrating two-year period at Manchester United ever since Jose Mourinho took charge at Old Trafford. Mourinho’s first campaign saw the Frenchman being a bit-part player, struggling to receive starts, although things did improve slightly in the first half of the 2017-18 season, when he was a prolific contributor for the Red Devils.
However, the arrival of Alexis Sanchez meant Martial fell down the pecking order once again, starting just six games in all competitions since the end of January. The player ended the season with 11 goals and 9 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, but saw his World Cup dream being shattered essentially due to a lack of game time in the second half of the season.
As a result, it was mooted for a long time that Martial could seek a fresh start in his career away from Manchester United, and the worst fears of the fans were confirmed last week by his agent Philippe Lamboley when he claimed that the French international wants to leave the club this summer.
There is no dearth of interest in him either, with the likes of Juventus, Chelsea and Tottenham being linked with a summer move. However, if widespread reports are to be believed, Manchester United will not entertain any offer for Martial as they are not willing to see him depart just yet.
The Red Devils are also in talks with Martial over a new long-term deal, and will trigger a one-year extension option in his current contract anyway before a renewal is agreed on. Before that though, Manchester United have placed a potentially prohibitive price tag to ward off his suitors.
As per the report, Manchester United will only sell Martial if a club pays £100 million for him. The figure would be their record sale, if it happens, but the club hierarchy is of the opinion that the price will not be met by any of his potential suitors.
Martial’s camp, meanwhile, will keep on pushing for a move away from Old Trafford in the summer, but it remains to be seen if any club is willing to pay £100 million to sign him. However, Manchester United have made their intentions clear – they will only sell if their staggering asking price is met.
