Anthony Martial’s career once promised stardom at the very highest level.
Manchester United paid a staggering £50 million to prise him from AS Monaco a decade ago, with Louis van Gaal convinced he was the future of the club’s attack.
At his peak, Martial reached a market value of £56 million and was hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young forwards.
But injuries, inconsistency, and attitude concerns saw him fall into a downward spiral that has only deepened since leaving Old Trafford.
Now, at 29, Martial has suffered a fresh setback as HLN report he has been left out of AEK Athens’ European squad for their double-header against Anderlecht.
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The Greek side can still make two changes to their UEFA list before Wednesday, yet the omission suggests the Frenchman is no longer trusted.
In the previous round against Aris Limassol, AEK also went without Martial, instead favouring Luka Jovic, the Serbian striker signed from AC Milan.
Although injuries elsewhere – such as Roberto Pereyra’s recent muscle problem – could have opened the door, Martial’s absence emphasises how far he has slipped down the pecking order under new coach Marko Nikolic.
It marks a stark contrast to his nine years at Old Trafford, where despite frustrations and loan spells, he remained part of one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Since joining AEK in September on a deal until 2027, Martial has scored nine goals in 23 games, but after another injury, he has barely featured this season.
Nikolic has handed him just 30 minutes so far, and with AEK prioritising rhythm ahead of their clash with Anderlecht, Martial’s exclusion looks like a damning indictment of his current standing.
The Frenchman’s tenure at AEK got off to a promising start, having provided an instant impact on arrival.
However, as typically seen with Martial, that excitement soon fizzled out, with the latest exclusion coming as a huge setback.
