Received many offers to play in six months, but striker Anthony Martial refused because he wanted to stay at Man Utd until the end of the season.
Marseille, Fenerbahce and several Saudi Pro League clubs have contacted Man Utd about the French striker. Man Utd has determined not to extend the contract, so Martial is free to leave in the summer of 2024. However, he can leave the team earlier, in January, if he accepts a short-term offer from another club. Man Utd is ready to let Martial go immediately, but he doesn’t want that.
Martial has only started seven matches in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and assisting once. He has 12 reserve matches on the field, but has not played since the 0-3 loss to Bournemouth on December 9. The 29-year-old striker often struggled with injuries, so he lost his official position to rookie Rasmus Hojlund. There were matches where Hojlund did not start, so coach Erik ten Hag reluctantly put Marcus Rashford in as the central striker.
Martial could not be pushed away, but Man Utd sent off disciplined striker Jadon Sancho to Dortmund. The two teams reached an agreement on January 10, when Dortmund will pay a total of about 4 million USD including loan fee and Sancho’s salary for the next six months. Man Utd will still have to pay most of the English player’s salary this time, even though Sancho will play in Germany. However, Dortmund may have to pay Man Utd more in case Sancho plays a lot, or the German club wins a spot in the Champions League.
Man Utd is also negotiating with Sevilla to send midfielder Hannibal Mejbri to Spain for an apprenticeship until the end of the season. Everton also wants to borrow the Tunisian midfielder, but the “Red Devils” are more interested in the offer from Sevilla. The Andalusian club is in crisis when it is only ranked 16th in La Liga and no longer has a chance to play in the European Cup. Mejbri has only played 328 minutes in 10 matches this season, leaving his mark with a masterpiece from long range against Brighton.
Man Utd leaders are also negotiating with midfielder Raphael Varane, whose contract will expire at the end of the season. The team has the option to extend for another year, but they may not do so, as the former Real Madrid player is often absent due to injury.
In the opposite direction, Man Utd shows no signs of bringing in any new recruits in January. However, Ten Hag confirmed that it will welcome Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen back after injury, to meet Tottenham on the 14th. /first. Mason Mount, Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez are also expected to return later this month