Having an enjoyed a dynamite beginning to his Manchester United career, you could forgive poor old Anthony Martial for getting the hump when losing his number 9 shirt to a certain Swede.
Ending the 15/16 season as the club’s top scorer in both the league and overall competitions with 11 goals and 17 goals respectively, not to mention picking up an FA Cup winners medal for his troubles, the following summer saw the arrival of Ibrahimovic from PSG. Clearly seeing the striker as an undeniable starter, the former Inter and AC Milan striker nabbed his preferred number at the expense of the wonderkid.
Just months after, Martial’s agent, Philippe Lamboley spoke to French news outlet RMC detailing the hurt his client had felt at losing his number;
He goes on:
I’m not going to lie to you. Yes, it got to him. Yes, it surprised him. Yes, he was disappointed … for two days. But he’s professional. He knew how to get back into things straight away.
Personally, I find that decision out of order and disrespectful to my player. I told Manchester United’s board that. You just don’t do it. So we accepted it, we turned the page, but we didn’t rip it up.
Despite his objections, Lamboley suggested that the Frenchman is more than focused on continuing playing for the club Red Devils, saying:
He’s happy there. He’s 20. These days, no big European club plays with a 20-year-old striker,’ he explained. ‘The big strikers started out wide. For him, the main thing is to play.