Rio Ferdinand has lamented the situation faced by Anthony Martial at Manchester United in a recent interview with Five.
He has spoken on the natural talents that Martial possesses, but says he has failed to ‘put it together’, despite the seemingly limitless potential he had earlier in his career.
He also said that the best United strikers in his did not ‘have days off’. This is something that cannot be said about Martial – his inconsistency is one of his biggest drawbacks.
What did Rio Ferdinand say regarding Anthony Martial?
In an interview featured on Five’s official YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: “I know for a fact, when the new coaching staff went into the ground and saw Anthony Martial training up close and personal, they were like, ‘I see why every manager sees him and rubs their hands together’, because the kid’s ability is world class. But he can’t put it together.
“Martial has got to deliver consistently, not here and there. It’s what Man United number nines do, look at the history of the best ones. They don’t have days off.
“That’s the problem with Martial. Fitness or form, he falls off. It’s disappointing in that sense, that’s the frustrating thing because he does have crazy ability.”
What does the future hold for Anthony Martial at Manchester United?
Sadly, it has simply not worked out for Martial at United. As they look to improve their squad, the Frenchman has largely been left by the wayside – despite joining the Red Devils amid plenty of hype, he has done little to grow as a footballer ever since he made the jump to Old Trafford.
Martial possessed excellent dribbling ability and solid movement alongside decent finishing ability when he joined the club. He has added nothing to his game since then – even worse, it seems that his existing skills have diminished over the years.
At this point, it seems like a clean break will be the best result for all parties involved in the situation. Not only would it give Martial a fresh start, it would also United to offload an unwanted player from their books.