Anthony Martial has formally confirmed his departure from Manchester United, concluding his nine years stint at the Old Trafford. The French international, 28, joined the Red Devils for €42.3 million back in September 2015 from Monaco but has been sidelined since December following a groin operation. His exit was highly anticipated.
In an Instagram post, Martial expressed his emotions about this farewell. He stated that he’s preparing to embark on a new journey in his professional career after devoting close to a decade of his life to the club. He reminisced about the honour it was to play in front of the most committed supporters in the world, whose passion and fidelity have been his driving force. He went on to thank them for their affectionate cheers, encouragement, and unwavering devotion to Manchester United, sentiments he admits will be carved in his heart perpetually.
He additionally expressed his appreciation towards his fellow team players, the technical staff, and all club members he interacted with during his stay in Manchester, proud of the experiences shared. As he sets out to face new prospects, Martial assures he remains a Red Devil at heart and will keenly keep tabs on their progress.
Over his stay in England, Martial had quite an impressive trophy collection including the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Europa League. However, his performance had been inconsistency and under current mentor Erik ten Hag and prevously Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, his position in the team has dwindled. His present contract, extended during Solskjaer’s time in management, was set to expire this summer with an option to further extend for 12 months.