Solskjaer also believes the five-year deal handed to Martial can be a catalyst for other contracts still to be negotiated. Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera are all free to leave at the end of the season as it stands, whilst goalkeeper David de Gea had the option on his deal triggered earlier in the season meaning his runs out in 2020 – with United desperate to tie the Spain keeper down for much longer. “The club is working on a few things,” said Solskjaer. “But this is a statement from the club that we want to keep our best players.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been talking about Anthony Martial’s new five-year contract. The interim Manchester United boss says he ‘believes’ in the Frenchman but says he doesn’t score enough ‘scruffy’ goals. Solskjaer thinks 20 a season is a realistic aim for Martial, whose most prolific season so far was 17 in his United debut campaign in 2015-16. “He needs to make more runs in behind. As a striker, you need to read the game and sniff out chances. He needs to score more simple goals.”
And what about the latest on Marouane Fellani’s move to Chinese side Shandong Luneng? “Nothing’s confirmed there yet, so obviously what I talk to players about would have to be between the two of us,” says Solskjaer. “We had good discussions, obviously he got injured so we spoke about that but nothing’s confirmed so I can’t say more, really.”
