Report: Former Manchester United star eyeing Premier League return

Anthony Martial Premier League Return Talk Raises Questions for Manchester United and Everton

Anthony Martial is back in the conversation, and that alone tells you plenty about the market. According to TeamTalk, the former Manchester United forward is pushing for a route back into the Premier League, with intermediaries sounding out clubs over a possible deal.

The key detail is simple. Martial is a free agent, and that matters. He has been “without a club since June”, after he “mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Mexican side C.F. Monterrey.” That gives him flexibility and gives clubs a low-risk option on paper, especially those who have come out of the window short in attack.

Anthony Martial return hinges on market need

The report states that “intermediaries made contact with a number of clubs in England to make them aware that Martial would be open to a return to the Premier League.” It adds that Everton, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur have all been approached in recent days.

That does not mean serious interest across the board. It means availability has been circulated. There is a difference, and it is an important one. The article makes that plain, noting that “The approaches do not mean that all seven clubs are actively pursuing Martial”. In other words, this is classic late-market behaviour. Agents and intermediaries are looking for an opening, clubs are listening, and nobody wants to move first unless the terms make sense.

Photo: IMAGO

Martial, now 30, still has name recognition because of his Manchester United spell. He “went on to make more than 300 appearances for the club, scoring 90 goals” and collected major honours. Those numbers are respectable. They are also attached to a player whose career has never quite matched the hype that followed his move from Monaco in 2015.

Everton stance appears clear after striker chaos

Everton are the obvious club to mention because they need goals and bodies. Their transfer window ended in a mess. The failed Folarin Balogun move was bad enough. The report describes it as an “extraordinary deadline-day experience”, with the deal collapsing even though the striker was at Finch Farm and an agreement had been reached between clubs.

That left David Moyes, who remains under pressure to patch together an attack, in a weak position. Everton sold Beto, failed to land Balogun, and then saw “a late offer for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee” rejected. The result is stark, “just one senior striker at the club – Thierno Barry.”

Even so, TeamTalk says Everton deny being involved. “We have spoken to Everton and they insist they are not one of the clubs to have been contacted.” If that is accurate, then Martial to Everton is currently more noise than substance.

Premier League clubs weigh risk against availability

This is where Martial’s situation becomes interesting. A free agent can still sign after the window shuts, so there is no immediate deadline. The player is “keen on a return to the Premier League”, and that preference gives English clubs time to consider whether they want short-term cover, depth, or a gamble with upside.

There is also interest elsewhere. French clubs are watching, Spain and Italy have been mentioned, and Saudi Arabian clubs are in the frame too. Martial will have options. The real issue is whether any Premier League side believes he can still contribute at the level required, physically and consistently.

At this point, the story is less about a transfer being close and more about a player trying to reinsert himself into a market that has moved on. Martial is available. Clubs know it. That is all for now.

Our View

As a Manchester United supporter, this report is intriguing because Martial still splits opinion. On ability, there was never much doubt. At his best, he could glide past defenders, link play neatly and finish chances with very little fuss. The problem was that “at his best” never came often enough over a long enough period.

So when you read that he is “keen on a return to the Premier League”, the reaction is mixed. Part of you wonders whether a lower-pressure move, without the daily glare of Old Trafford, could finally suit him. Another part thinks the Premier League is too demanding now for a player who has spent years battling inconsistency and fitness issues.

From a United point of view, it also says something about how the club handled that era. Martial scoring 90 goals in more than 300 games is decent, but everyone expected more. He was meant to become decisive, reliable and central. Instead, he became symbolic of a side that drifted between promise and underachievement.

If Everton or another Premier League club takes the plunge, it will be because the deal is cheap and the need is urgent. That makes sense. What would not make sense is pretending this is still the Martial of his early United years. He can still be useful, perhaps. He is no longer someone you build around.