Tottenham in shock move for Anthony Martial: report

Tottenham target Anthony Martial of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St. James Park on December 2, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Anthony Martial could be set for a shock move (Image credit: Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur might be about to sign Manchester United flop, Anthony Martial.

Martial joined from Monaco in 2015 for a fee that eventually rose to £45 million – though the Frenchman could have cost the Red Devils another £10m if other bonuses had been met. The Monagasques clearly rated their young forward, too, inserting a clause for if he ever won the Ballon d'Or.

The 28-year-old has never come close to that level at Old Trafford, however, hitting double-figures in the league three times in nine, enduring tough relationships with managers and this season, seeing Rasmus Hojlund assume the spot of first-choice centre-forward. 

BURNLEY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United looks on alongside Casemiro during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Manchester United at Turf Moor on September 23, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Rasmus Hojlund is Manchester United's first-choice No.9 (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Tuttosport, however, that hasn't put Tottenham off the idea of bringing the 30-cap attacker to the capital, when his Manchester United deal expires this summer. 

Martial is of interest to a few Italian clubs but Spurs are reportedly holding off on matching the forward's demands – a three-year deal worth £100,000 a week – until they find out which competition they'll qualify for next season. 

In FourFourTwo's view, this move could have some truth: Ange Postecoglou has already rehabilitated one Premier League flop forward in Timo Werner and the talent that Martial was touted to have at one stage would be an intriguing prospect for the Australian. But it's hard to believe that the famously conservative Lilywhites would be willing to stake so much of Martial turning his career around. 

Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 07, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Postecoglou could be convinced to give Martial a chance (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Frenchman's performances have looked way below what's expected of a top attacker in the last season or two, with a loan to Sevilla bringing even more disappointment. Even with no transfer fee to pay, Spurs may well be keener on signing stars with more potential on contracts that are considerably lower than what Martial is asking for.

The United star is worth €10m according to Transfermarkt

More Tottenham and Manchester United stories

Tottenham might be able to snare a versatile star for a little over £20m, while one Bundesliga talent has been tipped for a move, too. Other rumoured targets include a Barcelona wonderkid and a Union Saint-Gilloise striker

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Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.