Anthony Martial’s future at Seville is ‘very complicated’ and the forward is likely to see Man United return

MANCHESTER United striker Anthony Martial admits he expects to return to Old Trafford after struggling during his loan spell at Sevilla.

The Frenchman took a pay cut from his reported £130,000-a-week contract to secure a move from the club in January but has only scored once since.

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Martial, 26, expressed his desire to leave Old Trafford following talks with interim manager of Manchester United Ralf Ragnick at the start of the January transfer window.

A deal with Sevilla appeared to have fallen through after the Spanish club refused to pay a loan fee and take half of his salary.

A compromise was found that allowed Martial to leave by the end of the season, but the deal didn’t include a purchase clause.

He told ABC Sevilla: “I see it very complicated to be able to continue in Sevilla.”

The France international scored his debut goal for Sevilla on his Europa League debut for the Spanish side but suffered a hamstring injury just days later in the following league game.

He missed three games but has now gone seven games without a goal or assist since his return.

He added: “I know I can be at a higher level and I’m working for that, but first the injury, then adapting to a new club and a new city is difficult for me because of the language barrier.

“I knew it would take six months and then I would certainly have to return to Manchester United.

“I am very happy with the experience of playing at a new club, as big as Sevilla, and having minutes again. If we manage to finish in the top four then we’ve achieved our goal and I’m happy for the fans who have been very good to me since I arrived.”

Martial became the world’s most expensive teenage footballer when he joined Manchester United from Monaco in 2015 for an initial £36million.

In an impressive debut season, he netted 18 times.

Though he struggled to replicate that form, he showed enough promise to land a new five-year contract in January 2019.

This contract runs until the summer of 2024.