Manchester United star Anthony Martial is set to hold showdown talks with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he seeks clarification over his future at the club.
According to a report from The Sun, Manchester United forward Anthony Martial will be holding talks with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he seeks clarity over his situation at the club, amid interest from a number of clubs across Europe.
Martial joined Manchester United in the summer of 2015 from AS Monaco. But, after a spectacular debut season, the 23-year-old has struggled to live up to the expectations placed on him, scoring only 30 goals in 118 appearances in the last three seasons combined.
The 2018-19 season saw the French international bag just 12 goals and set up 3 more. Manchester United handed Martial a new and improved long-term contract in January earlier this year, but following the extension, he struggled to make much of an impact, scoring just two goals in the final four months of the season.
Martial’s future at the club had been cast under doubts with reports emerging that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wasn’t happy with the forward’s attitude and application. This had led to some degree of interest from a number of clubs across the continent, with PSG and Inter Milan being the most notable names, as per The Sun.
The report adds that Martial has grown frustrated with these transfer speculations and is seeking clear-the-air talks with Solskjaer in order to understand where he stands in the manager’s plans moving forward.
A source close to the club told The Sun, “Anthony is back but has been worried about where the land lies and wants a sit-down. We know he had a poor season by his high standards but there is something about him for sure. Ole has him down as a big part of his plans but Anthony just a wants to know if there has been a shift in attitude.”
The Manchester United hierarchy hold Martial in very high regard and had stopped former manager Jose Mourinho from selling him last summer, following a breakdown in the pair’s relations. And despite claims that Solskjaer is unhappy with the Frenchman, the Norwegian has forged a strong relationship with the forward and sees him as an integral part of the team, as the source claims.
Martial’s new contract saw him extend his stay at the club till 2024 with the club having the option of extending it by a further year. While there has been speculations linking him with an exit, it seems like the Frenchman will be staying put at Manchester United for the foreseeable future.
