Everton have been gifted the chance to sign former Manchester United striker Anthony Martial, after missing out on AS Monaco star Folarin Balogun.
After letting Beto join Fiorentina on deadline day, it was vital for the Toffees to bring in a new striker, but it wasn’t to be, with the Balogun deal falling through at the last minute, as the USMNT striker decided against moving to Merseyside.
Missing out on the 25-year-old is a real blow, considering he performed very well for Monaco last season, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League, before going on to bag three goals in four games for the USA at the World Cup.
David Moyes is now left with Thierno Barry as his only recognised striker, and he cannot even call upon Iliman Ndiaye to deputise, following the Senegal international’s late move to Manchester City.
As such, Moyes may now need to enter the market for a free agent, and Martial is available, after leaving Liga MX side Monterrey by mutual consent back in June.
The Frenchman, who has been lauded as “fantastic” by former Man United teammate Sofyan Amrabat, was unable to reignite his career in Mexico, after a decent spell with AEK Athens, but he has remained a fairly regular source of goals and assists throughout his career to date.
|
Anthony Martial’s career record |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Man Utd |
317 |
90 |
54 |
|
AS Monaco |
70 |
15 |
8 |
|
AEK Athens |
24 |
9 |
2 |
|
CF Monterrey |
20 |
1 |
3 |
|
Sevilla |
12 |
1 |
1 |
Moreover, the 30-cap France international could be a low-risk signing, given that he is available on a free transfer, and at just 30-years-old he may still have a lot left to give.
However, the centre-forward’s injury record will be concerning, given that Moyes needs a reliable back-up for Barry, and the ex-United striker struggled to stay fit throughout his time at Old Trafford, which culminated in him featuring for just 444 minutes in his final Premier League season.
Everton offered chance to sign Anthony Martial
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Everton have now held talks regarding a deal for Martial, having been offered the opportunity to secure his signature by intermediaries.
There could be competition for his signature though, as a number of rival Premier League clubs have also been contacted, namely Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur.
The forward is now open to a return to the Premier League, after spending time in Greece and Mexico, and the Toffees are ‘looking at’ his situation, which suggests they are actively assessing whether to swoop in.
One thing that’s clear is that Moyes will need to sign a new striker, as Barry cannot be expected to start every match, and the Frenchman didn’t exactly set the world alight in his debut Premier League season, netting just eight goals in 38 matches.
Martial is a former Golden Boy award winner, crowned the best young talent in world football in 2015, and while he hasn’t reached the heights of fellow winners such as Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe, he could certainly offer Moyes something he doesn’t currently have.
