Erik ten Hag told to rip up Man Utd transfer plan following Joel Glazer disagreement
Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, might face obstacles in his efforts to offload striker Anthony Martial during the upcoming summer transfer window. This is because the club’s co-chairman, Joel Glazer, holds a high regard for the forward and admires his abilities.
In the past, when former manager Jose Mourinho wanted to sell Martial in order to entice Ivan Rakitic, who was playing for Barcelona at the time, to join Manchester United, the Glazer family, who are the owners of the club, intervened and prevented the transfer from happening.
Despite the potential advantages for Manchester United, Joel Glazer, the club’s co-chairman, intervened and rejected the idea of allowing the French forward to leave.
Glazer’s refusal was surprising considering the evident benefits it would have brought to the team. Furthermore, Glazer holds Martial in extremely high esteem, to the extent that he even made comparisons between the French forward and the legendary Brazilian football icon, Pele.
Martial’s fitness has been a cause for concern, as he has not been able to complete a full match in the Premier League for the past 28 months. Furthermore, he was unable to participate in the FA Cup final due to yet another injury, marking the sixth time he has been sidelined this season. These consistent fitness issues indicate a long-term trend and raise further questions about his ability to maintain optimal physical condition.
“Yeah, going to be a long one but how long we don’t know,” Ten Hag said of the injury to Martial, who sustained the setback in the final game of the Premier League campaign against Fulham. “We have to do more assessment.”
According to a report in the Manchester Evening News, Anthony Martial’s recent injury setback could potentially hinder a summer transfer away from Manchester United.
In order to convince any potential new club about his fitness credentials, Martial would be required to undergo a medical examination at the prospective destination. However, if he is unable to fully recover from his injury in time, it could complicate his chances of securing a move away from the club during the transfer window.
Manchester United has made it a priority to secure the signing of a starting central striker during the upcoming summer transfer window. In addition to that, they are now considering the possibility of selling Anthony Martial and potentially bringing in another forward. This evaluation is influenced by the fact that Wout Weghorst’s loan spell is set to expire at the end of the current season.
Martial’s recent performance has been underwhelming, as he has only managed to score nine goals in 29 appearances.
His season has been marred by fitness issues and a prolonged period of below-par form. Notably, he has failed to score in consecutive Premier League matches since the 2019/20 campaign, which is far from ideal for a club with the ambitions and aspirations of Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag, who is Anthony Martial’s fifth manager at Manchester United, has publicly expressed his support and admiration for the striker. The coach has openly spoken about his positive sentiments towards Martial and his belief in the player’s abilities.
“When he’s on the pitch he will score,” he said last month. “He will link up, he will do a good job in the press, he is really important for us. When he’s fit he is massive for us.”
Manchester United is keeping the possibility open of signing two central strikers during the upcoming summer transfer window if Anthony Martial departs alongside Wout Weghorst.
While primary targets like Victor Osimhen from Napoli and Tottenham’s Harry Kane are desired, there is a recognition that they may be difficult to acquire.
As more affordable alternatives, the club is considering Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta and Goncalo Ramos from Benfica as potential options for strengthening their striking department.
Erik ten Hag told to rip up Man Utd transfer plan following Joel Glazer disagreement
