Erik Ten Hag Decides Futures of Four Man Utd Stars, Including Tough Decision on Martial

Erik ten Hag is looking to shake up Manchester United’s striking options, with Anthony Martial’s future at the club appearing bleak.

Ten Hag was open to moving Martial on this past summer as the Frenchman has struggled for consistent form and fitness. Martial’s limited availability – he started just 11 Premier League matches last season due to recurring injuries – has reportedly eroded Ten Hag’s confidence in him.

The recent signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta further diminished Martial’s standing. United are expected to trigger one-year extensions for Victor Lindelof, Hannibal Mejbri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to retain their services and protect their value.

Left-backs Brandon Williams and Alvaro Fernandez, currently on loan, may also have their contracts extended to allow United to fetch transfer fees. The futures of veterans Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton will be reassessed at the end of the campaign.

Martial’s situation appears most precarious as his contract expires next summer, though United hold an option to prolong his stay. Either way, the club will look to offload him in the upcoming window. Letting him go for free would be counterproductive if they could still generate a fee.

With limited attacking options, Ten Hag remains short up front but has lost faith in Martial. Last season, United failed to replace Edinson Cavani, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s November exit left them relying on loans. Martial and new signing Hojlund are now the sole out-and-out strikers, though Marcus Rashford can also feature centrally.

However, Martial has not completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League for almost three years and missed over half of United’s matches last term through various injuries. His struggles to stay fit and in form have left his future at Old Trafford in serious doubt.