13 January 2024 , 08:45
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Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov once claimed he encouraged his old side to sign Anthony Martial, having played alongside him at Monaco.
The ex-Old Trafford favourite spent the 2014/15 campaign with the Ligue 1 side, where at the time Martial was emerging as one of the most exciting prospects on the continent. There was quite the clamour for his signature, but Berbatov is believed to have helped United win the race.
Berbatov has previously explained how United's scouting department reached out as part of their research into Martial. Speaking on talkSPORT back in 2020, the Bulgarian said: "The United head scout called me, he was like: 'Berbs, we are looking at this kid Martial and wanted to ask what you think.'
"I told him this boy is unbelievable, the things he can do. He can be a great player, he just needs someone to guide him on the pitch. Of course, I'm still waiting for my commission!"
Under the guidance of Louis van Gaal, United forked out £36million rising to £58m to sign Martial in 2015, which at the time made him the most expensive teenager in football history. A debut goal against Liverpool had the Old Trafford faithful optimistic a future legend had been unearthed, but things haven't played out as expected.
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Nine years on from that transfer, the majority of United fans are now sitting around waiting until Martial can be offloaded. He has often been labelled as inconsistent, while his scoring record shows he can hardly be described as prolific in front of goal.
Including the current campaign, Martial has managed just 12 league goals across four seasons for United. To put that figure into context, fellow Red Devil Marcus Rashford netted more than double that across all competitions last term.
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Anthony Martial has scored just one Premier League goal this season and speculation over his club future remains rife (Getty Images)The France international was even shipped out on loan to Sevilla at one point halfway through 2021/22 campaign, but nine LaLiga appearances failed to bring out a single goal. It came as little surprise when the Spanish side registered little interest in signing him permanently.
Despite this, several reports suggest those at the top of the United hierarchy are planning to offer Martial a fresh extension as his current deal nears its expiration. “We are talking with Rapha Varane and Anthony Martial," manager Erik ten Hag told reporters at a recent press conference.
Whether United do choose to trigger the clause in Martial's deal that would see his stay extended until the summer of 2025 remains to be seen, but with just 90 goals in 317 games, perhaps not everyone at Old Trafford is thankful for Berbatov's transfer tip all those years ago.