'The perfect spot' - Anthony Martial 'happy' in Spain after Manchester United move, says Sevilla sporting director Monch
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Published 17/02/2022 at 15:01 GMT
Sevilla sporting director Monchi says that he has "only seen happiness" from Anthony Martial since the France forward arrived in Southern Spain in January. Monchi suggested that the 26-year-old - who joined on loan until the end of the season from Manchester United - may be getting "more affection and trust" than he had at Old Trafford.
Martial: 'Sevilla move not about money'
Sevilla sporting director Monchi believes Anthony Martial is happy at the club since making his loan move from Manchester United.
Martial moved to Andalusia in January after a difficult period at Old Trafford, in which he consistently failed to shine under a succession of United managers, before a more public disagreement with latest incumbent Ralf Rangnick that put the seal on his departure.
But since moving to Spain - Martial will stay there until the end of the season - Monchi says he has seen no discontent from his French forward.
"In these two weeks he’s been here, what I see is happiness," Monchi told the Times.
"When a player has the technical, tactical, physical qualities, what you have to do is touch the perfect spot for these qualities to reappear.
"And we think we’re capable of finding this spot. Possibly it could mean more affection, more support, more trust; speaking more to him, for his family to feel settled, for him to feel important.
"There’s not one model for every player – everyone has their needs."
Echoing Monchi's comments on Martial, Sevilla's Joan Jordan told MARCA on Wednesday that he had spoken to United defender Eric Bailly, who told him that Martial needed "affection" and "to feel important".
Monchi, famed for his ability to develop star names before selling them on at a premium, has had his hands full fending off offers from cash-rich Premier League clubs in recent months.
First Joules Kounde was - and continues to be - linked to Chelsea and Liverpool, and in January Newcastle came in for Diego Carlos. It's a challenge hanging on to his men, therefore, but Monchi is realistic about the situation.
He said: "In England evidently they have more revenues. I wouldn’t read it in a negative way — in fact, the opposite. I’d see it as a positive for the ability English football has to generate resources. The results are there. It’s been a decade where English clubs are winning. They’re reaching [European] finals.
"I speak to colleagues in English football — sporting directors like [Manchester City’s] Txiki [Begiristain], Fabio Paratici [of Tottenham], Victor Orta [of Leeds United] — and they all talk about how competitive it is in the English league. For this reason, the clubs have to invest.
“Everyone has a price but it’s true that in this negotiation with Newcastle [for Carlos] more than the price, the problem was the moment — we were negotiating in the middle of the season with the possibility of achieving important objectives."
With Kounde alongside Carlos, Monchi reckons Sevilla's centre-backs are “in the top five or ten in Europe”.
Sevilla take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League play-offs on Thursday night, as they aim to win the competition for a record-extending seventh time.
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