Man United forward Anthony Martial in action. (Getty Images)
There’s not much time left for Maurizio Sarri to bring in more signings for Chelsea with the transfer window set to shut on August 9th. As per Express Sport, the Blues have been linked with Manchester United winger Anthony Martial over the last few days. We are now at the business end of the transfer window, meaning all managers must act swiftly to complete their shopping.
Martial is understandably frustrated with the lack of first-team opportunities under Jose Mourinho (h/t Express Sport). The Frenchman was largely restricted to a bench role last season. Things got even worse when Martial flew home for the birth of his child during the Red Devils’ pre-season tour (h/t Express Sport).
According to Express Sport, Manchester United are reluctant to sell their attacker but it has been suggested that the Red Devils could be open for a swap deal that would see Chelsea winger Willian moving to Old Trafford.
Martial should definitely make the move to London, given that he could flourish in Sarri’s high-octane attacking system. The Frenchman is a devastating winger who is known for his dribbling ability on the ball. Martial often uses his blistering fast pace and impressive body feints to effortlessly beat defenders. The 22-year-old loves to take on players and it’s something he excels at.
He is also a major goal threat. The former Monaco winger scored 9 goals and provided 5 assists in 30 appearances in the league last season. Of those 30 games, the Frenchman started just 18, proving his efficiency in front of the goal.
Martial is generally deployed as a left winger but he is comfortable playing on the right. The Frenchman is also versatile enough to fill in a striker’s role. Chelsea faced issues in the offensive department last season, with their strikers constantly misfiring. The arrival of Martial would immediately solve that issue, giving Sarri a wide range of options in the attack.
Martial prominently flourishes in a 4-3-3, which would see him occupy the left-wing role. Martial could also take up a left attacking midfield role in a 4-2-3-1. These are two formations Sarri predominantly deployed during his time at Italy, meaning he could do the same at Stamford Bridge as well.
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Chelsea should certainly make the move for Martial. He may not share Willian’s shooting accuracy and passing ability but the attacker will bring his own set of skills to the team. Martial would also offer cover and support for the Chelsea strikers and the Blues could come out on top with this deal.
