Ian Ladyman claims Rasmus Hojlund should be a breakthrough signing after Man United spent £72million on the Dane… with Erik ten Hag only able to call on Anthony Martial if the goals don’t roll in
- Despite the progress last season, Erik ten Hag’s team struggled to score
- The Frenchman has never lived up to expectations at Old Trafford, despite the injury woes
- With Rasmus Hojlund at center forward, Ian Ladyman says he needs to deliver immediately
Ian Ladyman says Anthony Martial’s 300 appearances for Manchester United ‘show how low standards are’, insisting there was now pressure on Rasmus Hojlund to score goals.
With Hojlund arriving with a £72 million price tag, you’d naturally expect him to be Manchester United’s first choice this season.
After struggling to score goals last season, despite making further progress in securing Champions League football, Erik Ten Hag’s side struggled to find the back of the net.
Erik ten Hag was concerned about United’s lack of goals and the exciting Danish striker has been signed at a significant cost to remedy that.
Even if Ten Hag brings Hojlund to life in a red shirt, you’d expect him to lead the charge within a few weeks and hopefully take his chances. This is all bad news for Anthony Martial.
Anthony Martial seems destined to become Manchester United’s back-up striker this season
United boss Erik ten Hag (right) continues to praise Martial’s (left) abilities, but inconsistent form and injury problems have held the French striker back in recent seasons.
“Martial’s 300 appearances for United show how low the standards are. Now Hojlund has to score goals.’ Ian Ladyman said on Transfer Deadline LIVE
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“They have no other reliable centre-forward. Rasmus Hojlund must score goals,” Ladyman continued The transfer deadline of Mail Sport LIVE.
“Martial’s 300 appearances for United show how low the standards are. Now Hojlund has to score goals.
“Hojlund must be a groundbreaking asset. They have no other reliable centre-forward,” Ladyman added.
“Martial wouldn’t come close to the Manchester City or Liverpool side. He scored six goals in the Premier League last season.
“I don’t think we can expect a high return from him.
Martial is nowhere near reliable enough when it comes to injuries – he was sacked five times last season and missed 27 games – and United have been asking for offers for the Frenchman this summer.
The Frenchman, through a combination of inconsistency and injuries, has never reached the heights expected of him in eight seasons at United.
When Louis van Gaal’s United initially paid £36 million to sign Martial, a teenager at the time, from Monaco in 2015, one of many additional clauses related to the player who would win the Ballon d’Or before 2019.
If United had had to make that particular payment to Monaco they would no doubt have been delighted as it would have meant Martial had reached his sky-high potential.
But unfortunately he is nowhere near such levels and the final season of the 27-year-old’s contract looks set to be one of bench-warming and limited opportunities as Hojlund is sacked.
Martial laments a missed opportunity in United’s disastrous Europa League defeat to Sevilla
He scored nine goals in all competitions in a season plagued by injury problems
As Mail Sport reported in June, United were willing to listen to offers for Martial this summer and wanted £25 million for him.
They really don’t want to bring out another Wout Weghorst type in January.
The effort and enthusiasm of the great Dutchman were endearing, but he played many more games than expected and could not make up for the lack of goals.
Ten Hag will certainly need Martial in lesser Premier League and domestic cup games so that Hojlund’s playing time can be managed properly. He can also make an impact from the couch.