AEK Athens
Anthony Martial’s rise and decline: from United’s record gamble to free agency
Martial’s United rise, role changes, injuries and release left a career that never matched its early promise.
Anthony Martial’s Manchester United story began with promise and ended with a sharp fall. When he arrived from Monaco in the summer of 2015, he was a surprise headline signing and a forward few outside France knew well. Yet the club paid heavily for his potential, with one add-on even linked to a Ballon d’Or win.
His background suggested a player built for the highest level. Born in the suburbs of Paris, Martial started out at Les Ulis before moving to Lyon at 14. He made his senior debut shortly after turning 17, then joined Monaco seven months later. In the principality, he progressed from the B team to the first team and eventually delivered 12 goals in 48 appearances in his second season.
United’s faith looked justified almost immediately. Martial scored on his debut against Liverpool with a solo run from the left, then followed that with two goals against Southampton. He also struck a stoppage-time winner against Everton in the FA Cup semifinal, helping set up the club’s first major trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. That first campaign finished with 11 Premier League goals and 17 in all competitions.
But his role changed when new competition arrived. Zlatan Ibrahimović took his No. 9 shirt, and later Romelu Lukaku pushed him further from the centre of the attack. Martial had his moments, but his numbers fluctuated and his starts often gave way to substitute appearances.
There was a bright spell in 2019-20 under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Used centrally, Martial produced 23 goals in all competitions and looked as though he had finally found the right platform. Instead, that proved to be his peak. His output dropped sharply afterwards, with injuries, fitness problems and a red card interrupting his rhythm.
Martial’s final United years brought a loan spell at Sevilla, where he failed to score in nine La Liga appearances, before his contract ended in 2024. Across his best two seasons at the club, he scored 40 goals in 97 matches, but his last four years produced only 19 in 95. A free transfer to AEK Athens brought seven goals in 16 Super League Greece appearances, though the limited number of games underlined how far his career had drifted.
AEK Athens
Anthony Martial Set for Monterrey Move After Productive Year at AEK Athens
Martial heads to Monterrey after a season with AEK Athens; ten years on from his Liverpool debut…
Anthony Martial is understood to be travelling to Mexico to complete a move to Monterrey, with Fabrizio Romano reporting the agreement. The transfer follows a single season with AEK Athens in which Martial scored nine goals in 24 outings.
The 29-year-old left Manchester United last summer on a free transfer after a nine-year spell at Old Trafford. His record at United reads 90 goals in 317 games, accompanied by 54 assists. Those numbers represent a solid return, yet fell short of the expectations that accompanied his arrival a decade earlier.
Martial’s move to Mexico comes after his services were offered to a number of Mexican sides, with Pumas among those linked. Instead, reports indicate he is linking up with Monterrey, one of the country’s leading clubs. Monterrey sit top of the domestic division, a position helped by the presence of former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos in their back line.
The timing of the transfer carries historical resonance. Martial makes the trip to Mexico exactly 10 years after announcing himself on the global stage with a famous goal against Liverpool. On September 12, 2015, 11 days after he moved to Old Trafford, Martial made his United debut off the bench to score the final goal in a 3–1 victory, leaving supporters convinced the player they had recently made the most expensive teenager in history was destined for superstardom.
For a multitude of reasons, Martial did not reach the very highest projections. Still, 90 goals and 54 assists in a nine-year spell at United is far from a poor return. A productive season in Greece has now prepared him for a new chapter in Mexico.
This move marks a clear shift in Martial’s career path. From a debut that suggested immediate stardom to a steady professional record and a fresh challenge with Monterrey, his next steps will be watched closely by followers of his career.
