Manchester United do not intend to activate the option to extend Anthony Martial’s contract when it expires at the end of this season, according to reports.
The French striker has entered the final year of his deal at Old Trafford - with the club having the option to extend his contract by an extra year if wanted.
However, according The Athletic, the United hierarchy are willing to let Martial leave for free at the end of the season and have no interest in renewing his deal.
Martial signed a new five-year deal with the Red Devils in 2019, which included a clause allowing United to extend his stay by 12 months.
Given the fact United are hesitant to extend Martial's deal, it could spell a potential January exit for the forward.
Martial signed for United back in 2015 from French side Monaco in a deal worth £36 million - making him the most-expensive teenager in football history.
His initial deal contained three bonus clauses worth £7.2 million each, taking the potential fee to £57.6 million. £44.7 million ended up being the total fee.
One of the clauses was centred around the French forward potentially winning football's most prestigious individual prize; the Ballon d'Or.
It goes without saying that Martial has failed to achieve that goal, with the forward struggling to find his best form while at Old Trafford.
During his nine years at the club, Martial has scored 90 goals in 317 games - with his highest tally in a season coming in 2019-20 - where he scored 23 goals in 48 games.
Recently, Erik ten Hag jumped to the defence of his French striker Martial after he was booed off during Manchester United's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth.
United suffered an embrrassing defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday as Andoni Iraola's side extended their unbeaten run to five games.
Dominic Solanke, Phillip Billing and Marcos Senesi all scored to pile further pressure on boss ten Hag.
As a result the Dutchman spoke about Martial after the striker produced a lacklustre performance on Saturday, managing just one effort on goal and recording the fewest touches of any starter.
Ten Hag insisted: ‘Two weeks ago against Everton he played a very good game!
‘So he has absolutely the competencies and the abilities to play so I don’t think it’s fair, after a performance like this, to go to one player now. As a group we failed, altogether.’
The Red Devils boss continued to speak about his side's performance as they head into a difficult run of fixtures.