Anthony Martial’s hopes of leaving Old Trafford on loan this month could rest on whether Manchester United are willing to pay a portion of the France striker’s wages, with Sevilla, Juventus and Barcelona all having shown an interest.
Martial, who refuted United manager Ralf Rangnick’s suggestion that he had refused to be part of the squad for Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa, has made no secret of his desire to leave seven years after joining from Monaco in a deal that made him the most expensive teenager in history. United are believed to want his £150,000-a-week (€180,000) salary covered in full, plus a loan fee.
While Tottenham and Newcastle have already made approaches to sign the 26-year-old on loan until the end of the season, it is understood that Martial has no interest in joining another Premier League club on a short-term deal and would prefer to move abroad.
Sevilla’s loan bid that would have involved the Spanish club paying half of Martial’s wages was rejected at the end of December and they are believed to be unwilling to cover his entire salary. Juventus have also expressed an interest in signing the player who has made only two Premier League starts this season, while Barcelona are believed to have made initial enquiries as they decide whether to sign another forward.
Rangnick, the interim United manager, named only eight substitutes for the 2-2 draw at Villa Park and claimed that Martial’s absence from the travelling party was the player’s choice.
“He [Martial] didn’t want to be in the squad,” Rangnick said. “He would have been in the squad normally. He didn’t want to be and that’s the reason why he wasn’t with us.”
Martial hit back in a post on his Instagram story on Saturday evening. “I will never refuse to play a match for Man United,” the forward wrote. “I’ve been here for seven years and I never disrespected, and will never disrespect, the club and the fans.” – Guardian
