As Anthony Martial’s Manchester United contract is about to expire and there appears to be no chance of an extension, his future at the club is seriously in jeopardy. Mason Greenwood has reportedly found his scoring form again at Getafe, and Erik ten Hag is purportedly looking for a new striker.
It would be a characteristic conclusion to his nine-year stay at Old Trafford, full of frustrations in failing to reach the potential he promised as a blossoming teenager in 2015.
But while Ten Hag is ready to trigger one-year extensions in the contracts of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Hannibal Mejbri, there is no faith Martial will receive the same treatment.
It has sparked links to a new striker in the January transfer window, likely a short-term option that United supporters have grown accustomed to welcoming over the last decade.
FC Porto’s Mehdi Taremi, AS Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, and Flamengo’s Gabriel Barbosa are said to be on Ten Hag’s radar.
But there are sections of the fanbase pondering whether United’s attacking woes will prompt Greenwood’s reintegration after his season-long loan in Spain.
The 22-year-old scored twice in Getafe’s 12-0 win against Tardienta in the Copa del Rey last week, netting three goals in his last four games.
The 22-year-old scored twice in Getafe’s 12-0 win against Tardienta in the Copa del Rey last week, netting three goals in his last four games.
Greenwood is under contract at United until 2025, with the option of a further year, so the club will have to make a decision on his future next summer, likely under a new sporting structure
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are expected to be running the club’s football operations by that point, and there is, of course, the potential they will go back on chief executive Richard Arnold’s initial U-turn.
However, Giveme sport report that Greenwood’s future is set, and he won’t play for United again after the mass backlash in reaction to his reportedly planned return this season.
Ten Hag’s search for attacking reinforcements is fuelled by Rasmus Hojlund’s lack of service at the start of his United career.
The 20-year-old Dane is yet to score in eight premier League appearances; all three of his goals have come in the Champions League.
But United’s entire front line has been misfiring. Marcus Rashford’s strike against Arsenal is the only goal Ten Hag’s forwards have conjured in 11 league appearances this term.
So, another Wout Weghorst-style addition could be on the horizon to attempt to share that goalscoring burden. Greenwood is unlikely to be called upon again, though.
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