“When I went to their training ground, I heard them calling him Mbappe. I was confused. But during the training, I watched him destroy his whole teammates. Even his own brother couldn’t stop him”-according to the new sporting director, Man Utd ‘eyeing up £86m replacement for Anthony Martial’ as Sir Jim Ratcliffe plots January transfer business

“When I visited their training ground, I heard them calling him Mbappe. I was confused. However, during the training, I observed him outclassing all his teammates.

Even his own brother couldn’t stop him,” says the new sporting director. Reports suggest that Manchester United is considering an £86 million replacement for Anthony Martial as they plan January transfer moves.

Anthony Martial’s contract at United expires next summer, and it’s unlikely to be renewed, marking the end of his nine-year spell at Old Trafford.

Although he arrived with immense potential, Martial has fallen short of expectations. United is now scouting for his replacement, with reports from Spain indicating interest in Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.

Williams, a 21-year-old product of Athletic Bilbao’s youth setup, recently signed a contract until 2028. Despite this, United might make an £86 million offer to lure him to the Premier League. However, financial constraints, particularly the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, pose a challenge.

United spent heavily in the summer, signing Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount. The impending arrival of investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe might aid their cause, but offloading players to generate revenue becomes crucial for any expensive move in January.

To raise funds, United’s transfer chief, John Murtough, reportedly made a trip to Saudi Arabia, hoping to sell players. Jadon Sancho, frozen out of the first-team squad and placed on the transfer list due to a falling out with manager Erik ten Hag, is one of the players on the potential sale list.

The club aims to sell him quickly, but Saudi clubs might wait until the summer before making significant financial moves. Consequently, Ten Hag may have to work with the players currently at his disposal.