Anthony Martial is leaving Man United to move to Spanish side Sevilla on loan until the end of the season.
The forward is looking to regain his form with a move away from Old Trafford. It’s essential for the Frenchman this year if he is to have any hope of making France’s World Cup squad.
Details of the Deal
Martial’s Sevilla loan move for the rest of the 2021/22 season was confirmed by famed transfer announcer Fabrizio Romano.
The Spanish side will cover his wages fully throughout the loan spell, saving United £250,000 a week. Furthermore, there is no loan fee involved, thus it seems a fair deal for all parties involved.
Rio Ferdinand speaks about Martial
Speaking on the Gazetta Dello FIVE podcast, Man United legend Rio Ferdinand welcomed the move for Martial.
“It’s a good move that suits both the player and the club,” he started. “They’re covering his wages, so I think, for the club, it’s good.”
Ferdinand also agreed that Martial had to make this move for his career.
“He [Martial] needs this. He needs first-team football. He needs to be a regular and play on a regular basis at a consistent level. For the last year or so, he hasn’t been a regular, and I think he needs this move.”
Undoubtedly, Martial has been underwhelming for United this season, often leaving fans and pundits frustrated. Ferdinand gave a strong critique of the forward.
“When he gets the ball to feet, Anthony Martial is a threat to any defender,” Ferdinand remarked. “When he gets the ball, you can see defenders are on edge.”
However, the compliments stop there: “I just feel he didn’t move enough off the ball. He didn’t make runs in behind.
“He’s quick. [But] sometimes you’ve got to vary the ways in which you attack opponents. You can’t always want the ball to feet.”
Finally, Ferdinand questioned his ability to perform regularly. The United legend commented: “There was inconsistency… if you’re going to be a winning team, you can’t have people who are inconsistent.”
Martial’s season
In contrast to previous campaigns, Martial has had a quiet season so far. He has made 11 appearances this season, scoring only one goal. This is a far cry from his stellar 2019/20 season, where he scored 17 goals in the Premier League.
The Frenchman has found himself further down the pecking order this season. In attack, he was behind the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani, Jadon Sancho, and even Anthony Elanga.
Ferdinand concurs that it makes sense to let the Frenchman leave.
“If you said, ‘Who would you rather have?’ out of Rashford, Martial and Mason Greenwood, you’d keep Greenwood and Rashford ahead of Martial.”
Hopefully, a change of scenery allows Martial to find his form and showcase his undeniable ability.
