Mourinho backs Martial to improve
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed Anthony Martial to improve on his performances last season.
Mourinho says that Martial will be a better player than he was last season and says that he was not looking to replace him in the transfer market.
Manchester United have been heavily linked to Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, but Mourinho has hinted that Perisic was a target so that United could play with wing-backs.
Speaking to Manchester United’s website, Mourinho said this:
I have faith in him.
Probably, the player I was looking at [in the transfer market] was not a pure winger, because I have pure wingers. The player I was looking for would allow me to play three at the back and do the wing-backs. As a pure attacking player, Martial is a good player.
He is one of the players who will have a better season than last season. I look at my players and I am sure some will be better than they were last season, and Anthony is one of those, for sure.
Martial joined United in 2015 from Monaco for a deal that could rise up to £58m and he set the stage alight in his debut campaign.
The forward was the club’s top goalscorer in all competitions with 17 goals, mainly playing down the left flank.
However, last season was a disappointing campaign for Martial. He only netted four times in the Premier League, and eight in all competitions.
He did get off to a great start to the current season, though. The Frenchman came off the bench to get a goal and an assist against West Ham last weekend.