Over the course of this season, Manchester United winger Anthony Martial has done a u-turn on his club future. TF1 claim, via Get French Football News that United will make a major announcement in the next few days, and that that announcement is a new contract extension for Martial.
French media outlet RMC reported that Martial has agreed upon a new five-year-deal which keeps him at Old Trafford until 2024, and that there are just a few minor details left for his agent Philippe Lamboley to iron out with the club. Also, the BBC’s Simon Stone claims that United are “edging closer” to locking down Martial long term.
This development, when it’s confirmed in the next week, will complete a total about face. Under Jose Mourinho, Martial wasn’t very productive and a lot of that was due to his being limited, both in minutes played and in his role on the pitch. The Frenchman even got into a public feud with Mourinho over the forward’s leaving summer preseason camp in order to witness the birth of his child.
Under Solskjaer though, it’s been a complete reversal. Martial has said that Solskjaer allows him to express himself. The former Monaco man acquired on deadline day in the 2015 summer transfer window also revealed the best advice that his caretaker manager has given him- play to your strengths and don’t put undue pressure on yourself.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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