Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wants to sign Manchester United forward Anthony Martial during the summer, reports Football Transfers.
Martial’s contract with Manchester United will expire in 2024 and the rumours are suggesting that Emery wants to bring him to Villa Park on a season-long loan deal with the hopes of making it permanent at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Emery currently has only Ollie Watkins as his star striker which is why he wants to add another centre-forward during the summer transfer window.
The Frenchman has played almost 300 games across all competitions since joining Manchester United in 2015 but he’s failed to hype up the hype which saw him leave a club like Monaco and join United. He’s scored only 87 goals in these eight years and he’s also been sent out on loan to Sevilla for a six-month period.
Will ETH allow Anthony Martial to join Aston Villa?
Erik ten Hag is looking to add a new centre-forward to his ranks and we have a feeling, he wants Anthony Martial to remain as the backup striker next campaign.
It’s very evident the Frenchman is not strong enough to lead the line so unless he is ready to play second-fiddle, he has no future at the club. He’s become massively injury prone in recent years and even when he is fully fit, Ten Hag uses him for only 60 to 70 minutes in a match.
If Martial is not willing to play as the backup striker then Ten Hag will have no issues in selling him off but we think Aston Villa only have a chance if they agree to an ‘obligation to buy’ clause at the end of the loan spell.
His contract is up in 2024 so if his loan stint is not successful at Villa then Man United will have to lose him as a free agent. Martial’s current market value is €15 million so a fee in that region will be enough for ETH to green-light an exit.
