What's next for Anthony Martial after the Sevilla debacle?
(Courtesy : Manchester Evening News)
The forward has scored just one goal since moving on loan to the La Liga side.
Anthony Martial like so many other young footballers burst onto the scene as part of the French talent conveyor belt. The forward had the world at his feet during his formative years at Monaco. He was considered the next big thing in French and world football as well.
Those lofty labels earned him a record £36 million move to Manchester United in 2015. The Frenchman made a dream start scoring on his debut against Liverpool. But the going got tough for the Frenchman as his lofty price tag added to the pressure. Martial showed glimpses of his potential but could never take it to the next level that was expected of him. The same could be said of his time so far at Sevilla.
The saga continues his story of what could've been. But is all really over for Martial or is there still light at the end of the tunnel? We tried analysing the situation of Martial and tried to gauge what could lie in store for him in the future.
Martial at Sevilla
Anthony Martial was thrown down the pecking order with the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho in the summer. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities, Martial made a loan switch to Sevilla in the 2022 winter transfer window. The move promised some change for Martial with a new environment and a club with less pressure to succeed.
But Martial's problems with consistency have continued in Seville as well. The 26-year old has scored only once in 10 games for the record Europa League champions. Martial is yet to score in La Liga despite starting five out of the seven games he has featured in so far. This has elevated into a situation where Martial himself expressed doubts about staying beyond his loan deal. His stats provide a lot of reasons behind the lack of end product from the Frenchman.
At Sevilla, Martial is taking only just over one shot and a measly 0.42 shots on target per 90. His xG of 0.24 is the lowest of his career so far. Therefore, there are clear indications that Martial is struggling for form.
What can Martial offer?
Despite Martial's struggle for form, Sevilla have put their trust in him. Martial is mostly played as a striker or as a second striker or the furthest attacking midfielder by Lopetegui. While he can play as a striker, he is most effective when playing from the left.
In his most prolific season at United (2019-20), Anthony Martial operated mostly as a left striker or as a left-winger. These positions allowed him to cut in on his right and score goals. The freedom allowed him to rack up close to three shots and 1.3 on target per 90. His 2019-20 xG (non-penalty) of 0.35 would be the highest in the current Sevilla squad.
The Frenchman also possesses a 0.04 xA per 90, the same as Lucas Ocampos and more than Rafa Mir, two of the principal forward options. . He is also winning 34.3% of his pressures which is the highest among all Sevilla forwards. Martial completes 81% of his passes which is only behind Papu Gomez and Ivan Rakitic. Therefore, despite his lack of goals, Martial is still putting in a good shift in attack for the club.
There is still time for him to do well in the club with seven games to go in the league. With more gametime and a better understanding of gameplay, Martial could still find positive answers to the doubts that cloud his future at Seville. The manager and the club also see enough potential in him to turn it around.
Possible summer destinations for Martial
Anthony Martial possesses the experience of having played in three top European leagues. Therefore, he is sure to attract plenty of suitors in the summer transfer window.
Martial's key strengths are his dribbling and his tenacity. Currently, he is winning 48% of his dribbles ranking him third in the Sevilla squad Papu Gomez and Rafa Mir. He completes a handsome 2.04 dribbles and more than six carries into the 18-yard box per 90.
These stats show that Martial can be a sticky customer to deal with. He is an ideal candidate for clubs who can't go big on forwards but can get someone like Martial to lead the line or build squad depth. Tottenham showed interest in signing Anthony Martial in the winter transfer window. But the move eventually didn't materialize.
Other clubs across Spain and Europe like Real Sociedad, Borussia Dortmund or the Milan clubs among others can view Martial as a good option. Sociedad have scored only 32 goals this season, lower than 20th placed Levante! They also face the danger of losing star striker Alexander Isak. Therefore, Martial could prove to be a savvy replacement if the Swede decides to move in the summer. Dortmund could also find Martial as a good addition to their often injury-threatened attack. A return to France could also be in the making with former clubs Lyon or Monaco.
Despite a topsy-turvy few years, the fact remains that Anthony Martial still has a lot in him. The Frenchman possesses the skill and tenacity to come good on the big occasions and has done it before. He still possesses the ability to come good for any side that he joins. Still only 26, Martial still has enough years to prove his worth at the top for a club where he gets regular first-team football.
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