£250k-p/w Man Utd ace has been "absolutely phenomenal" behind scenes in pre-season - journalist

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has been “absolutely phenomenal” so far during Erik ten Hag’s first pre-season at the club, according to freelance journalist Jacque Talbot.

The 26-year-old joined United as a teenager in 2015 for £36m, making him the most expensive teenager on the planet at that time.

It had widely been assumed that Martial’s career at Old Trafford was over, after the forward was shipped out on loan to Sevilla in January this year, spending the second-half of last season at the La Liga club.

However, the 30-time France international has now returned to Manchester, and even scored in ten Hag’s first pre-season friendly, in a 4-0 victory over Liverpool in Bangkok.

With a new manager in charge at the Old Trafford dugout this season, Martial might feel that he has earned a respite at the Premier League club, and the Frenchman could be a genuine forward option for ten Hag, if the former Monaco man impresses the Dutchman this pre-season.

And Talbot believes that whilst there are rumours that Martial is having an excellent pre-season, it is right to be cautious that this could potentially be a false dawn.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “There are rumblings from Manchester United that Martial has been absolutely phenomenal under ten Hag since he’s come in.

“It’s such a short space of time.

“I don’t know how much credence you can put on that because you do see plenty of players have these amazing pre-seasons.”

If Martial continues to impress in pre-season, then ten Hag might believe that he can save the club some money by utilising the Frenchman in both the Premier League and Europa League next season.

The £250k-per-week star has made 269 appearances during his time in Manchester, scoring 79 goals and providing 50