January's Most Wanted: Anthony Martial to Barcelona or Arsenal?
Stefan Bienkowski
- 7 Jan 2022 11:35 GMT
- 6 min read
Manchester United have big plans for the January transfer window as new manager Ralf Rangnick looks to turn around the club’s poor form in the first half of the season.
However, to do that, the Old Trafford side will likely have to sell a number of the first team players that are no longer necessary to the side.
One such player is Anthony Martial, who now seems destined to leave the Premier League giants this month.
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What is Anthony Martial’s transfer status?
While Martial isn’t technically up for sale, the player’s demands to leave the club have been made public through his agent.
Prior to the turn of the year, the player’s agent confirmed that the player Man Utd had spent £54 million on in 2015 was now determined to move on and find regular game time elsewhere.
“Anthony wishes to leave the club in January,” said Philippe Lamboley in an interview with Sky Sports. “He just needs to play. He doesn’t want to stay in January and I will speak to the club soon.”
As such, Martial is all but up for sale. Even if Man Utd or Ralf Rangnick are unwilling to admit that officially as of yet.
When does Anthony Martial’s contract expire?
Anthony Martial’s current contract with Manchester United is set to expire on June 30, 2024.
What clubs are interested in Anthony Martial?
Martial’s discomfort with his situation at Man Utd has been a poorly-guarded secret for some time and as such the player has been linked with a number of clubs around Europe.
To no real surprise, the Spanish papers have suggested that Barcelona may be tempted to take the player off Man Utd’s hands in January. A potential swap deal for either Ousmane Dembele or Frenkie de Jong has been proposed, but seems unlikely.
Most recently, Sky Sports have suggested that Martial would prefer a move to Sevilla, with the Spanish side apparently keen on bolstering their attacking options with a move for the French forward.
La Juventus et Barcelone discutent aussi avec MU pour un prêt d’Anthony Martial. Contacts également avec son agent. Pas d’offre pour le moment.
— Julien Maynard (@JulienMaynard) January 6, 2022
Despite that, reports from France now suggest that the Spanish club wouldn’t be able to afford Martial’s wages or indeed the transfer fee needed to make the move permanent in the summer. As such, Juventus have been tipped as a more realistic option, since the Italian giants can afford Martial’s wages and a future transfer fee.
However, the most intriguing - and perhaps most likely - rumour comes from London, where Arsenal have apparently held a long-term interest in signing Martial to upgrade their own struggling front line.
Unlike Baca or Juventus, Arsenal have the funds to pay for Martial’s transfer fee and salary. Which may make the London club the ideal destination for the French forward.
Could Anthony Martial leave in January?
Considering Martial’s struggles with form and his inability to hold down a starting spot in Man Utd’s first team, a January move would have made a lot of sense for the forward.
Since the player’s agent confirmed his intentions to leave the club, it would seem almost certain that Martial will be sold in January if the right kind of offer can come in.
Could Anthony Martial leave in the summer?
Considering Martial’s demands to leave the club, a move in the summer would seem like a risky move for the harmony of Rangnick’s squad. A summer move would only make sense if Man Utd didn’t get any decent offers in January or agreed to an initial loan move, with the promise of a full transfer at the end of the season.
How old is Anthony Martial?
Anthony Martial was born on December 5, 1995 which makes him 26 years of age.
