Noel Whelan has backed Antony Martial to succeed at Arsenal if the north Londoners manage to prise him away from Manchester United.
Anthony Martial’s time at Manchester United may be coming to an end after 18 months of struggle. After being used sporadically this season by both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, the Frenchman is reportedly looking for an exit from Old Trafford.
There is plenty of interest from the Premier League if Manchester United do decide to move him on. Martial has a contract until 2024, with the option of an extra year. The club is reportedly looking for a sizeable transfer fee.
Arsenal are thought to be interested in Martial. The Gunners have been interested in the Frenchman for some years now. Mikel Arteta is on the lookout for a versatile frontman, and the Manchester United outcast is capable of playing in every position in the final third.
With the futures of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah in doubt due to their expiring contracts, Arsenal must sign a new striker. Of late, doubts have been cast over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future as well, with Arsenal suspending the forward for a breach of disciplinary rules before stripping him off club captaincy.
However, Arteta is keen to bring in a player such as Martial primarily to replace Nicolas Pepe, who has found himself out of the manager’s plans. The Ivorian has played a total of 12 minutes in the last eight Premier League games, which has called his future into question.
According to Noel Whelan, Martial could be the ideal player to grace the Emirates, as he tells Football Insider what the Frenchman could bring to the table. Whelan said, “He’s 26 years old – that’s not even into the best footballing years of his career. We know he’s got the talent. Look at his stats for Man United; they’re not bad considering he’s hardly played. He can play anywhere across that front three.”
“If you think about what Martial could offer Arsenal, compared to what Pepe is currently offering – I know which player I’d be taking. Arteta is looking to freshen things up. Martial can slot straight in and replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette – I think the Arsenal fans would be excited by that signing.”
Whether Arsenal can succeed in pursuit of Martial remains to be seen. With clubs like Barcelona and Juventus also keen on signing him, the Manchester United outcast should have plenty of teams to choose from before he takes a final call on his future.
