Man Utd make decision on Anthony Martial's future ahead of contract expiry

Manchester United are highly unlikely to use their option to extend Anthony Martial's contract at Old Trafford beyond its original expiry date next summer, sources have confirmed to 90min.

The deal that Martial signed early in 2019 is due to run until June 2024. As is often the case at United, it included an option that could be used to push the end of the contract by a further year to 2025 instead.

However, 90min understands that the chance of it being triggered in Martial's case is very low, with the player himself also ready to accept that his time at the club is coming to an end.

The Frenchman, who made a blistering start to his United career in 2015 after a somewhat out of the blue £36m plus add-ons switch from Monaco, has struggled for fitness and form since 2020.

Martial hasn't reached double figures for goals in any of the last three seasons and is only on two in 19 appearances more than a third of the way through 2023/24. He had scored 23 times in all competitions in 2019/20 in what was hoped it could be a watershed campaign, but the forward was unable to sustain this form. Even a loan to Sevilla in 2022 did little to get him back to his best.

Similar decisions over Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof are yet to be made. Both players are in the same situation, with a contract ending in 2024 that features an option that could extend it for 12 months. 90min understands it is not cut and dry for either of the defensive pair and each still has the belief that they could have some sort of future with United beyond the current season.

One player with a contract up next year but expected to have his 12-month option triggered is Hannibal Mejbri. Talks over a new longer-term deal beyond 2025 have also already taken place.

Hannibal, due to turn 21 in January, has made seven first-team appearances so far this season and has been a near permanent fixture of Erik ten Hag's matchday squad. He even netted a stunning consolation goal in the 3-1 home defeat by Brighton in September and earned plaudits for his attitude and the way he tried to rouse the crowd inside Old Trafford when it went in.

The midfield talent is set to mis a few weeks of club action after Christmas with the expectation that he will be named in Tunisia's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. Hannibal has already made 27 appearances at senior international level and was selected for last year's World Cup.

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