Anthony Martial, a striker for Manchester United, underwent groyne surgery, and he will likely miss ten weeks of time recovering.
We might hear at Old Trafford next, “£50 million down the drain as Tony Martial is injured again.”
Anthony Martial underwent groyne surgery, and Manchester United has stated that he will not be available for 10 weeks, meaning he won’t play again until May.
Martial’s deal ends at the end of June, and he may have played his final match for United in December’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, depending on how well he recovers.
The fact that Martial started the match against Bournemouth was unexpected, and some Old Trafford supporters applauded when he was substituted by Rasmus Hojlund prior to the hour mark.
Even though fans used to admire Martial, his career took a severe downturn when he was at Manchester United, so it seems natural that that was his final appearance to cap off a miserable stint.
When Martial signed for £36 million in 2015, he was the most expensive teenager in history. However, despite two successful seasons in nine, he won’t be remembered with much affection.
The biggest skill in football is availability, and since Martial’s body has broken down and he is unable to keep healthy, he has spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch.
In retrospect, it appears that he ought to have been sold in the summer of 2018 after playing his final 90 minutes in the Premier League against Sheffield United in January 2021.
Martial’s departure was prevented by the club, and Jose Mourinho was willing to sell him. When his contract expires, there won’t be a queue waiting for his signature, I promise.
Martial missed Christmas and New Year’s Day due to illness, and while he resumed some light training, it became apparent that he was having trouble with an injury.
The last chance to gather money for him was lost, and he has since had surgery to fix the issue. Martial was unable to even help United by remaining fit for a transfer.
Rasmus Hojlund is United’s only acknowledged striker following Martial’s prolonged absence—something he is used to—and the team has to make a big splash in the January transfer window.
Despite starting most of the games and having just two league goals this season, Hojlund is the only player in his position who has a backup plan in case of injury.
Although he can play there, Marcus Rashford pouts when he is in the attack. Not only does he struggle to perform on the left, but he has changed as a player and is uncomfortable in a role that he doesn’t enjoy playing.
After failing to get a loan match with Stevenage, Charlie McNeill will play for the Under-21 team, while young striker Joe Hugill has been sent on loan to Burton for the balance of the season.
Hojlund’s injury could be disastrous, thus United needs to act fast to recruit a striker in the last few days of the January transfer window to avoid future catastrophes.
When Christian Eriksen became hurt in January of last year, United put their ducks in order to sign Marcel Sabitzer on loan, setting a precedent for acting quickly.
Sabitzer was instrumental in Eriksne’s absence, and a deal with Bayern Munich was completed in a couple of days, so it was possible to finalise it before the February 1 deadline.
Karim Benzema needs to be taken into consideration, and they will need to act quickly to evaluate possible targets. Said to be dissatisfied in Saudi Arabia, he would make the ideal short-term loan.
Hojlund alone will not be enough to carry United through the rest of the season.
