Manchester United could have already lined up a replacement for Anthony Martial should the Frenchman leave in the summer.
Reports circulated yesterday suggesting that Martial’s future in Manchester hangs in the balance, with Erik ten Hag seemingly planning a summer clearout to raise funds for new signings.
It’s unlikely the manager would have been open to the idea of offloading Martial at the start of the season, however, it’s fairly evident why his opinion has changed; the 27-year-old has missed around 20 games through injury issues so far this season – far from ideal for a squad looking to challenge for silverware. He has registered just 722 minutes worth of action on the pitch.
Injuries have been a prevailing issue throughout Martial’s career and, given his age, it’s something that is no longer worth taking a gamble on with the direction United are heading. At the start of the campaign when he was ruled out of action, 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo was called upon to provide the goals and since the Portugal international has left, Ten Hag is now relying on Burnley loanee Wout Weghorst.
Despite this, the club’s top goalscorer this season is Marcus Rashford. The 25-year-old has been in scintillating form and is overseeing the best spell of his career so far with 19 goals and eight assists to his name so far.
United linked with two forward alternatives
France outlet L’Equipe has suggested Ten Hag could pursue Eintracht Frankfurt striker Kolo Muani, however, they will face competition from rivals Liverpool. The 24-year-old has contributed 12 goals and 13 assists for the German side this season after being a standout performer for France at the World Cup last year.
He is a young and somewhat proven option to add to the team, and he may opt for a new challenge outside of the Bundesliga if Frankfurt fail to qualify for the Champions League by the summer.
Another option for the Reds is the sought-after Victor Osimhen, according to Mail Sport. He has been instrumental to Napoli’s remarkable campaign so far that has them on top of the Serie A table with a 13-point advantage over second-placed Inter Milan.
The Nigerian has 17 goals and four assists in all competitions and is the subject of interest for several top clubs across Europe. If Ten Hag wants him, the United board must be willing to pay his hefty price tag of around £107 million.
