24 January 2024 , 12:07
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Anthony Martial may have kicked his last ball for Manchester United after suffering a groin injury - ruling him out until April.
The Red Devils have confirmed that Martial, 28, will be out of action for around 10 weeks after undergoing "successful" surgery on his muscle complaint. "We wish Anthony a speedy recovery and look forward to his return," added United in a short statement.
Martial's injury is a serious blow to his hopes of earning a new contract at Old Trafford. The France international's existing deal expires at the end of the season and it'll be difficult for him to persuade Erik ten Hag to give him a new one if he's in the treatment room.
The forward joined United from Monaco in September 2015 in a £44million deal to become the most expensive teenager in world football. That record was broken by Kylian Mbappe's £165m move to Paris Saint-Germain, again from Monaco, in August 2017.
Martial was tipped to become a superstar at Old Trafford and famously scored on his Premier League debut, a 3-1 win against Liverpool. He's shown glimpses of his potential since then - scoring 23 goals in the 2019/20 season - but has struggled in recent years.
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Martial has scored just 19 goals for United in the last three-and-a-half years, as he's struggled for form and fitness. The Frenchman spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan at Sevilla, but he failed to score in nine La Liga appearances.
Earlier this month, Ten Hag confirmed United were "talking" with Martial and his representatives over his future. Yet it's believed United's desire was to sell him in January, as Turkish side Fenerbahce and French outfit Marseille chased his signature.
Martial may not play under Erik ten Hag again (PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)How do you rate Anthony Martial's time at Manchester United? Let us know in the comments below!
Martial was also linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but nothing materialised. It's believed Martial rejected the idea of a January transfer in the hope of regaining his spot in Ten Hag's starting XI, yet it's now hard to imagine him ever playing for United again.
Martial's injury is a blow to Ten Hag, who is struggling to get the best out of his team this season. United are eighth in the Premier League table, 16 points behind leaders Liverpool. They've also been dumped out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
United's biggest problem is their lack of goals. The Red Devils have scored just 24 in the Premier League this season, with only Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United managing fewer. Marcus Rashford is United's top scorer in the league with four goals.
Rasmus Hojlund, who arrived from Atalanta in a £72m last summer, has found the net just once in the Premier League. Martial's injury could force United to bring in a new striker this month, with Bayern Munich's Eric Maxim Coupo-Moting on their radar.