When Manchester United signed Anthony Martial in 2015, they believed they were getting the next Thierry Henry. But now the striker’s career path feels more akin to Louis Saha, another fine French forward whose promising trajectory with the Red Devils was ruined by a tendency to get injured every couple of months.
The difference is that once it was plain to see that Saha was beyond the peak of his powers, he left Old Trafford. Martial, to the the despair of many supporters, has somehow managed to remain with United for nine seasons.
Martial was signed by Louis van Gaal and has played under five United managers, but none of them could say they have truly happy memories of him. The forward certainly had the talent to succeed and proved himself on more than a few occasions, scoring 90 goals and providing 55 assists in 317 appearances.
But his time at Old Trafford has been characterised by flashes of brilliance rather than consistent spells. He has not been able to complete 90 minutes for three years and his latest displays have made him a figure of derision for fans and pundits alike.
He arrived as the club’s next great hope, but has become a symbol of the club’s decline ever since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, a player who can rarely be relied upon to stay fit, much less score 20 goals per season.
As Martial’s long and frustrating career with United winds down towards a near-certain exit at the end of the season, GOAL charts his eventful but hugely disappointing time at Old Trafford…