Manchester United could avoid having to pay millions to Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco due to a clause in Anthony Martial’s contract that will go unfulfilled if he leaves Old Trafford at the end of the season.
It looks like the Frenchman is preparing to leave United in the summer when he contract expires, with Sky Sports stating that Martial’s preference is to stay put in January. This means he is permitted to speak to foreign clubs about joining them.
The original deal that saw Martial join United was worth £36m with three further payments worth £7.2 million granted certain conditions were met by the player during his time at the club.
According to talkSPORT, only one of the clauses has been met, meaning the overall deal will end up costing the Reds £43.2m instead of £57.6m.
Martial had the world at his feet when he arrived at United but nowadays he’s rarely available or getting on the scoresheet. It doesn’t make sense – based on appearances and performance levels – that he is one of our highest paid players in the squad. The former Monaco academy star has made 13 league appearances this season, scoring 1 goal and has not registered a single assist. It’s a sorry return for a player once likened to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
However, after failing to make 25 caps for France in four years, Martial has also failed to win the Ballon d’Or. Both were clauses in the deal that would have meant more money for Monaco.
It would be fair to say Martial’s time at United has been a disappointment overall. He currently has 90 goals in 317 appearances and many will agree both recordings should be higher.
Martial’s best season came in 2019/20 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when he scored 23 times in all competitions. He has not been able to replicate that form since.
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