🇪🇸 Why Anthony Martial could turn the LaLiga title race around | OneFootball

The next chapter of Anthony Martial’s career sees him make a curious move to Sevilla, with the LaLiga title challengers signing the striker on loan until the end of the season.

But, how has it come to a situation where Manchester United are allowing a striker they paid £36m for in 2015 leave halfway through a campaign?

What will he bring to Julen Lopetegui’s side as they look to challenge Real Madrid for the league?

Martial arrived at Old Trafford as one of the most exciting young prospects in European football.

Manchester United made the Frenchman the most expensive teenager in the history of the game when they agreed to pay Monaco an initial £36m for the forward. A further £21.5m was available through bonuses and clauses, including Martial winning the Ballon d’Or within his first four years in Manchester, but only £7.5m was actually achieved after he cracked 25 goals for the Premier League club.

That isn’t to say he didn’t get off to a flying start.

He announced himself with a stunning solo goal against Liverpool on his debut and ended his first season at the club with a trophy, the FA Cup, before José Mourinho guided the club to the EFL Cup and Europa League double in 2016/17.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recognised his talents as a centre-forward. Martial featured 72 times as the No 9 under the Norwegian as opposed to starting on the left of the attack on 25 occasions.

However, Martial leaves Manchester having made just 11 appearances this season and completing 90 minutes just once.

The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo this season, preceded by Edinson Cavani last, has not helped his cause and he leaves in the hope of reinvigorating a career that could still offer so much.

Sevilla find themselves just four points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s and Lopetegui will be hoping Martial can give them the cutting edge they need to lift a trophy they haven’t won since 1946.

Los Rojiblancos have been solid in the league and find themselves within touching distance of Real but there is a need for more firepower.

They’ve scored 34 goals in 22 matches, the lowest in the top four, and their most common result so far this season is 1-0 – they have won six games by that very margin.

Rafa Mir is the club’s top goalscorer with seven goals with winger Lucas Ocampos just behind him on six.

Martial’s arrival could be that extra boost Sevilla need to push Madrid all the way, and when picturing how he will fit into the current Sevilla set-up there is an expectation he has been signed to slot straight in up top.

Sevilla usually start in a 4-3-3 with Ocampos and Papu Gómez flanking Mir in attack.

With those two feeding Martial from the wings and Ivan Rakitić pulling the strings behind them, Sevillistas have every reason to be excited about how their forward line is about to shape up.

The move to the Iberian Peninsula could be the one that reignites Martial’s career.

Real Madrid will be hoping otherwise.