Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News recently reported that Erik ten Hag’s side want to sell the Frenchman in the summer.
Martial is currently out injured and will not be in contention for their Premier League clash against Leeds United at Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old has played only nine times in the league this season and has missed a number of those games due to various injuries.
Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge believes it would be hard to sell the player at the moment due to his salary and can’t see him leaving any time soon.
He stated: “My reaction is, what a shame. The fact that we’re looking to sell him can only be based on injury, and if you’re looking to sell a player on injury, how easy is an injury player to sell?
“Martial’s on 200 grand a week, I think he’s got two years left on his contract. And who would want to buy a player, and give them 200 grand a week, who is injury-prone?
“So, to me, it doesn’t make any sense. But obviously, it’s the second time this has been mentioned now.
“I feel that it’s a tough one to get your head around, because how would you make that happen?”
We believe that if there’s a decent offer submitted for Martial, United should accept the offer and move him on.
Pundit Graeme Souness told TalkSport (via Metro) last year that the Frenchman is too ‘hit and miss’ and the club cannot rely on him.
Our view is that Martial has had so many opportunities under a number of different managers with the Red Devils, yet his goal return has never been consistent enough to be worthy of a regular Man United starter.
How many chances will he get before he’s finally deemed not good enough? The way we see it, if a Champions League-winning boss like Jose Mourinho can’t get a tune out of Martial, how can Ten Hag?
The Red Devils likely won’t make a profit on the £36m spent on the player back in 2015, but in our opinion, it’s better that they cut their losses and let him leave Old Trafford at the end of the current campaign.
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Spurs have seen many bright and exuberant youth prospects blossom into potential first-team stars, most notably Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett in recent years.
The former has been labelled a ‘future Spurs captain’ and already has a few noteworthy performances in the bank. Meanwhile, the latter has been likened to Marcus Rashford by former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho, with the promising Englishman currently on loan at Portsmouth.
Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham ‘expert’ Wenham claims that the club hold another youngster in Moore, who is yet to make a first-team appearance, in very high esteem.
Spurs are currently attempting to tie down the 15-year-old with a long-term contract and are believed to be ready to give it their all to keep him.
Wenham explained: “I thought the selection of players was very interesting when the club shared an image of Alan Shearer at the training ground. Tottenham chose some academy players to line up next to Shearer. You had Jamie Donley there, a very highly-rated striker.
“Luca Gunter, a very highly-rated England youth goalkeeper. Then two 15-year-olds, one of which being Mikey Moore.
“Tottenham are trying to tie him down to a long-term deal. We can only do so much, we are involving him in everything that we can.
“He’s started in the Youth Champions League and the Under 18s’ League this season. I get the indication that he will stay and the club are doing everything to make sure that happens.”
The 15-year-old has already displayed real promise in the youth leagues, not just for Spurs but also at international level.
The England under-16 international has two goals in two caps for the young Lions and has plundered three goals and four assists in nine appearances for Tottenham’s under-18s (Transfermarkt).
Moore has attracted huge praise from those who follow the Spurs academy with real intrigue, not least Wenham, who has previously raved over the teenager before this latest appraisal.
The striker has been called a ‘hugely promising’ and ‘hugely impressive’ youngster by the Spurs expert before, and Wenham claimed in another interview last year that the teeanger put in ‘outstanding’ displays in the UEFA Youth League (Football Insider).
If recent form and plaudits are anything to go by, Moore is another hot prospect who could soon emerge from the Hotspur Way academy.
]]>The England international has been attracting interest from Premier League leaders Arsenal alongside the Blues as both clubs aim to further enhance their midfield options.
Despite the marquee signing of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez last week, the west Londoners and owner Todd Boehly are thought to be targeting Rice heading into this summer.
The 24-year-old has been in brilliant form for an under-performing West Ham side, and with his contract slowly running down towards its June 2024 expiry, it’s entirely possible that he could be on the move this year.
According to journalist Simon Phillips, writing for GiveMeSport, Chelsea have ‘already started laying down some groundwork’ to sign Rice ahead of a proposed summer move.
While there will be ‘serious competition’ from London rivals Arsenal, Phillips has also shared ‘more optimism this week’ that the Blues can land the 24-year-old.
Rice will be expensive, with some reports suggesting that West Ham could be set to demand as much as £120m for the signature of their prized asset.
Homegrown tax and his status as a proven Premier League player will have contributed to such an eye-watering demand, but the figures suggest that the 24-year-old is justifying such a valuation.
As per WhoScored, the Three Lions ace stands out as West Ham’s best performer in the league this season and averages a higher rate of intercepted passes per 90 than anyone in their squad.
Named club captain last year after Mark Noble’s retirement, Rice has also gone on to add goals (one) and assists (two) in the top flight under David Moyes.
The colossal midfielder has been called a ‘force of nature’ by members of the press who hold him in very esteem following several years of heroics at the London Stadium.
Chelsea may well attempt to whittle down his £120m price tag but could still have to pay a marquee sum for such a brilliant player.
]]>Hasenhuttl, once labelled as an “exceptional” manager by Pep Guardiola, is currently out of work after leaving Southampton back in November.
The 55-year-old, previously of RB Leipzig, was in charge of 173 games at St Mary’s, averaging 1.26 points per game. The Austrian likes to play a 4-4-2 double 6 formation, and it seems as if he is of interest to Victor Orta and co.
Douglas shared a story for The i in the last 48 hours following Marsch’s dismissal at Elland Road.
He stated that Hasenhuttl is an early contender to take over in Yorkshire, with reports since stating that the available manager has actually turned down the chance to return to the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim.
Hasenhuttl would bring a wealth of Premier League experience to Leeds, something which could be crucial as the club look to avoid relegation once again.
However, on the flip side, the out-of-work manager struggled towards the end of his time with the Saints, losing six out of nine top-flight fixtures to leave Southampton in the drop zone before he was sacked, showing that a move could still be a gamble.
Therefore, in regards to the long-term project, it may well be wise to look elsewhere, with Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot thought to be contenders for the vacancy at Elland Road after impressing for their respective clubs.
]]>Leeds have taken the first step to make changes at Elland Road to ensure they secure their spot in the Premier League for next season by sacking Jesse Marsch.
However, things on the pitch have to be addressed by whoever the next manager to walk through the door is to replace the American. This includes the defence, which is performing much worse than they should be compared to their expected goals against (xGA) total (as per FBref).
One thing that looked to have been addressed last month was the left-back situation, with Pascal Struijk deployed there until the January signing of Wober.
However, his arrival has done little to improve their fortunes at the back. Indeed, he has been slotted into centre-back instead of left-back – where he had been playing for RB Salzburg this campaign.
Something Hay wants to see addressed quickly is getting Germany international Koch back in at centre-back in order for Wober to take up a role at left-back.
Speaking on The Phil Hay Show, he said: “They’ll be helped by Robin Koch coming back, which might allow Wober to play at left-back – which to my mind, would be no bad thing and probably needs to be done.”
If Leeds want to have a fighting chance against the drop this season, they have to be playing players in their most-suited positions – even if that means dropping others from the side.
Therefore, if Koch is available, he should go straight in at centre-back alongside either Liam Cooper or Struijk and take the Dutch youngster out of the firing line, as it has been an experiment that’s failed miserably.
Leeds currently have two more conventional left-backs on their books in the form of Wober and Junior Firpo, so there is no need to be playing a 6ft 3in centre-back there and making the team unnecessarily lopsided.
]]>The 30-year-old is a free agent, having had his contract terminated by Sevilla earlier this season, and it has recently been reported that Goodison Park is a potential destination, with the Spaniard able to sign for a new club outside of the transfer window.
While it has been claimed that the midfielder prefers a move to the MLS, casting doubt on whether he would be open to joining Everton, a new update appears to indicate that a deal could be struck with the Premier League club.
According to Rudy Galetti, writing for Tribal Football, talks are well underway regarding a possible move to Everton for Isco, and a new meeting is scheduled with the aim of advancing the negotiations.
It is claimed that a possible move to Union Berlin broke down earlier in the January transfer window after the player was told that he would not be included in the Europa League squad list, but no MLS teams are explicitly named as interested parties.
In truth, the 30-year-old has not been at his best for many years, last recording more than four goal contributions across a single league season in 2017/18, after showing such promising signs at Real Madrid earlier in his career.
That said, the Toffees are at a point where they need to take a gamble, considering that they failed to strengthen Sean Dyche‘s squad at the end of the January transfer window, even missing out on Andre Ayew, who joined Nottingham Forest.
Signing Isco would be a risk given his decline in form, but he can still make an impact at a high level, scoring and assisting in the Champions League this season. He has also been hailed as a ‘magician’ by football scout Jacek Kulig in the past.
A fresh start in a new league could be exactly what the playmaker needs in order to reignite his career, and Everton should take the plunge on him, at least on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
]]>Tielemans’ current contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning that he will be able to leave Leicester as a free agent if he does not commit to a new deal, which he is showing no signs of doing.
Reporter Ben Jacobs has recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Gunners and Manchester United are the teams ‘to watch’ in the race for the Belgian’s signature, and there has now been an update on the saga.
In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Galetti inferred that the midfielder is just one of several targets that Mikel Arteta has, with the player himself set to plot his next move meticulously, rather than rushing in to any decision.
The journalist said: “I reported days ago, Youri Tielemans preferred to remain at Leicester in January to choose carefully the next destination in the summer and to maximise his new contract.
“Arsenal have shown interest in him, but Tielemans is just one of the names in their midfield list.”
Galetti has recently stated that Arteta could bring Albert Sambi Lokonga back into first-team contention next season, depending on how he fares at Crystal Palace, while Arsenal have also been linked with Declan Rice and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
As such, there are plenty of new options to choose from in central midfield, but the benefit of signing Tielemans is that his contract situation means that he would not command a transfer fee.
Hailed as ‘super’ and a ‘creative force‘ by journalist Josh Bunting, the maestro should be nearing his prime, given that he is 25, and he has very solid all-round attributes, ranking in the 83rd percentile for both tackles and shot-creating actions over the past year.
The Belgium international scores better than Rice on both of these metrics, and his availability on a free would save Arsenal a lot of money, given that the Englishman is expected to cost up to £100m.
]]>The Stamford Bridge outfit’s current shot-stopping options, Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, both have contracts that aren’t set to expire until 2025, but Graham Potter and Todd Boehly are reportedly already considering their long-term goalkeeping situation.
The Portuguese international was given the nod to represent his country at the World Cup late last year and now appears to have caught the eye of the Blues thanks to the standard of his performances in Qatar.
According to 90min, Chelsea have been ‘scouting’ Costa, with representatives from the capital having been ‘in the stands’ to watch him in action in ‘recent weeks’.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have also been following the 23-year-old, and the Blues’ recruitment team have simultaneously been identifying options already in the top flight should a move fail to materialise.
Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Brentford’s David Raya and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez are the three names to be mentioned, with the latter holding an existing connection to Potter from his time on the south coast.
Costa has been described as ‘superman’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and Chelsea pursuing a deal for him this summer is a no-brainer of a decision to make.
The 6 foot 1 star has kept a mightily impressive ten clean sheets in 19 Liga Portugal appearances so far this season and knows what it takes to be successful having won five senior titles during his time at the Estadio do Dragao.
Costa also shares the same agent as Joao Felix which could potentially give the SW6 outfit the advantage in the race for his signature come the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
]]>The 29-year-old has once again been a key player for Spurs as they attempt to seal Champions League qualification for the second-successive Premier League campaign.
Kane scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham secured a vital 1-0 win over champions Man City on Sunday – a result which keeps them within one point of Newcastle.
The Englishman also broke Jimmy Greaves’ goalscoring record at the weekend, surpassing the legend’s number with 267 in a Spurs shirt.
According to The Times and reliable journalist Gary Jacob, there ‘may’ be interest from Real Madrid in Kane depending on if Pochettino takes charge of the major club.
Bayern are also listed as potential suitors for the England international though chairman Daniel Levy is apparently adopting a firm stance over selling to domestic rivals.
Kane has entered the final 17 months of his contract at Spurs, so if there is any time to sell, it would be this looming summer if the club can’t agree fresh terms.
On the field, though, he is quite simply irreplaceable for Tottenham – having scored 17 goals with a further assist in the league alone this season.
If the club can tie Kane down to a new deal, that would certainly be the right move by Levy and Tottenham.
One aspect which may sway Spurs’ star is the thought of breaking yet another record – namely Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goalscoring number of 260.
Kane is currently on 200, just 60 shy of Shearer, and he can’t exactly surpass that number if Real and Pochettino swoop in successfully this summer.
This may well be a determining factor ahead of what will be an interesting few months determining his future.
]]>Leeds are set to point yet another manager less than 12 months after Jesse Marsch was handed the reins at Elland Road to succeed Marcelo Bielsa.
Marsch never managed to hit the ground running, with Leeds winning just 11 games during his tenure, despite being handed a huge amount of signings in the summer and January windows.
Leeds now find themselves back at square one and have two huge games against arch-rivals Manchester United in the space of a few days. However, there appears no rush to get a manager in place for either of those clashes.
While Leeds have started to interview candidates who are already in jobs, Hay claimed earlier on The Phil Hay Show that he wouldn’t be surprised if a new boss isn’t in place for the next two games.
He said: “I suspect that they won’t feel the pressure necessarily this week.
“As much as they won’t want to just burn these two games, because if there are points to be had, then they’ll be really, really, valuable. But at the same time, the odds say that they’ll be doing well to get too much from them.
“I think what they’ll 100% want to make sure is that they have somebody in place for the Everton and Southampton games and have a decent amount of build-up time to those, so that they can prepare and so they can start to change the squad and change the way the team plays.”
It’s quite sensible that Leeds are not willing to be pressured into making a snap decision over Marsch’s successor, as they have two games in a short period of time against one of the most in-form teams in the league.
While games against Man United are tense and ferocious affairs given the rivalry between the two teams, games against the Red Devils will likely not define Leeds’ season, so the focus must be on matches beyond their upcoming double-header.
As Hay highlighted, Leeds will indeed surely want to have a manager installed in good time before their games against fellow relegation strugglers Everton and Southampton, as those matches could well be the springboard they need to kickstart their push away from the bottom three.
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