Manchester United's Anthony Martial has inadvertently offered a glimpse into the kind of dispute Red Devils owner Joel Glazer was forced to have with former manager Jose Mourinho.
The French forward is a divisive figure among fans and pundits alike, signed as the most expensive teenager of all-time back in 2015, Martial has ultimately failed to hit the heights many expected of him. With that being said, Glazer is clearly still a huge fan of the forward.
So much so in fact, that the Amerian businessman went to war with Mourinho while the Portuguese coach was in the Old Trafford hot-seat over the idea of selling Martial. Back then, United were keeping tabs on then-Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic and regarded selling Martial as a perfect way to raise the required funds.
However, Glazer stepped in and refused to green-light the Frenchman's exit despite the clear benefits. He has even reportedly compared Martial to Brazilian icon Pele before and clearly holds him in incredibly high regard.
That is in stark contrast to Mourinho, who in Martial's eyes never truly took to him from the very beginning. "The story did not start well," the 26-year-old admitted, referring to when his former boss stripped him of the number nine shirt and handed it to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"He disrespected me, straight up... he was talking about me in the press. He likes these games, but he also knows who he is doing it with. He knows that I am 20 years old then and that if I say something, it is I who will be the young person who lacks respect.
HAVE YOUR SAY! How many goals will Martial score this season? Comment below
"The second season [at United], I was the team's top scorer in the first part of the season, he brought in Alexis Sanchez and I hardly played anymore. It cost me dearly. I should have been there [the 2018 World Cup]."
Glazer has often fought Martial's corner and though his decision to block the forward's departure raised eyebrows at the time, it could come back to benefit United this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo's well-documented desire to leave the club has translated into his performances on the pitch as the 37-year-old remains on zero goals for the season despite being on match-day six.
Summer signing Antony could still take some time to develop despite his debut heroics against Arsenal earlier this month, meaning Martial's experience could come in handy. The Frenchman enjoyed a stellar pre-season which sparked optimism he'd be back to his best this term before injuries struck.
He has featured just once, playing in one half in last month's 2-1 home victory over Liverpool in a result that kickstarted United's season and current winning run.
