Man United coach Mourinho warns Martial not to listen to agent
Manchester, Jan 1 (IANS) Manchester United head coach Jose Mourinho has warned winger Anthony Martial to listen to him and not his agent, as lack of playing has forced the Frenchman to mull a move to another football club.
Martial’s representative Philippe Lamboley has already revealed that his client is weighing up a potential move to Spanish club Sevilla.
“He is a player with amazing conditions to be a top player. Martial played, he created, he scored. He fought. He was very positive. I know he is a top talent,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by BBC on Saturday.
“Martial has to listen to me and not his agent. He has to listen to me in training every day and in every feedback I give to try and improve him.”
The Portuguese coach cited an example of summer signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who too initially struggled after moving to Manchester from Borussia Dortmund. But the Armenia captain has lately adapted to English football, displaying patience and hard work.
Mourinho said that Martial, 21, needs to learn from Mkhitaryan, whose agent insisted that the winger train with focus and patince.
“I knew Mkhitaryan is a top talent but I was not playing him. At this moment he even plays left back when the team is winning and we need to defend and need more balance,” Mourinho said.
“The Mkhitaryan process I was having almost every day. His agent was calling me saying, ‘Mkhitaryan with you will be a better player, keep going’.
“With Martial every day I read the newspaper, ‘Anthony Martial goes to Sevilla, Anthony Martial goes on loan, Anthony Martial is not happy’. Anthony Martial has to listen to me.”