Ralf Rangnick spoke openly about his talks with Anthony Martial, confirming his desire to leave Manchester United in January.
Anthony Martial has found it difficult to break into the Manchester United lineup for the best part of the last 18 months. Injuries and a terrible loss of form have played their part in the downfall as former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjer guided the team to a second-place finish last season without much help from the Frenchman.
He has found game-time affected this season due to a combination of the above problems and the arrival of new attackers, namely Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho. Hence Martial is seeking an exit from the club, searching for regular playing time, which is needed if he wishes to break into the France team for next year’s World Cup.
Martial is believed to be keen on joining Sevilla, although his salary demands could prove problematic for the Spanish side, who run their operations on a stringent budget. However, a move to the La Liga side is not ruled out by any means, although there could be other teams vying for his signature as we approach January.
There is also the interest from Juventus, who are keen on signing a forward to improve their goalscoring record this season. Martial is understood to prefer a move to Spain or remain in the Premier League, where Newcastle, despite their earlier interest, have ceded their pursuit of the Frenchman.
Providing an update on Martial’s situation, interim manager Ralf Rangnick spoke openly on his conversations with the player, confirming the Frenchman’s desire to leave the club. However, the German tactician remained open to the possibility of the forward staying put, pointing towards the many competitions the club has to play in the second half of the season.
However, in his comments that appeared on Goal.com, Rangnick said a move could be possible if the interested clubs make an offer suitable for the club more than the player.
“We spoke at length. He explained to me he’s been at Manchester United now for the last seven years, and he feels it’s the right time for a change, to go somewhere else,” he said.
“I think in a way this is understandable. I could follow his thoughts, but on the other hand, it’s also important to see the club’s situation. We have Covid times; we have three competitions in which we still have high ambitions and want to be as successful as we can be.
“[Any movement] should not only be in the interest of the player, it should also be in the interest of the club. So far, as far as I know, there has been no offer from any other club and as long as this is the case he will stay.”
Martial has featured just ten times in all competitions this season, scoring just one goal. Having recently returned from yet another injury problem, it remains to be seen if he features regularly under Rangnick in the coming weeks. As for an exit in January, as the interim manager said, if suitable offers arrive, it could be a possibility.
