Manchester United striker Anthony Martial is set to undergo talks regarding a contract extension at the club, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Martial's change in fortunes
The Frenchman spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla after his representative claimed that the player wanted to find a new lease of life due to being unhappy at the Premier League giants.
The La Liga outfit didn’t have the funds to turn his deal into a permanent one, though, which saw him return to Old Trafford this summer, and it appears that Erik ten Hag has now made it clear that he wants the 26-year-old to be part of his plans moving forward.
That marks a rapid change in fortunes for Martial, following reports in May that United were willing to give him a £12m payoff to leave the club for good.
The Latest: Man Utd set for Martial talks
According to The Sun, United are ‘set to open talks in the coming weeks’ with Martial over a contract extension, with the Red Devils manager having ‘told’ the player he has a ‘big part to play’ in his long-term project.
Insiders have claimed that the forward is ‘far happier’ in Manchester now than under previous managers, which could see him being ‘offered fresh terms’ in the near future and handed an Old Trafford lifeline by Ten Hag.
The Verdict: World Cup ambitions?
Martial will surely want nothing more than to go to the World Cup with France later this year, and putting pen to paper on a new contract should help him to get there.
United’s number nine, who was once dubbed a ‘Ferrari’ by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves, had an impressive pre-season and came off the bench during the recent 2-1 victory over Liverpool to register an assist in his first competitive appearance for the club since January.
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If Martial can start to regain the rich vein of form that he showed in 2019/20, when he netted 23 goals, he could have a key role to play in the Red Devils' fortunes this season, along with potentially booking his place on the plane to Qatar to help Les Bleus defend their World Cup crown.