Martial has to stay if Man Utd want to win trophies - Saha

Anthony Martial should be staying at Manchester United if the Red Devils want to “create a platform to win trophies again”, says Louis Saha.

The France international has not enjoyed the easiest of times at Old Trafford since completing a big-money move in 2015.

Having been signed by Louis van Gaal and netted 17 goals in his debut campaign, the 22-year-old has had to prove himself all over again under Jose Mourinho.

He has struggled to convince his boss at times, leading to regular spells on the bench, but Saha believes a fellow countryman remains an integral part of United’s future plans.

The former Red Devils striker told Sky Sports amid reports that Martial could look for a move elsewhere: "He should stay because he has got a great platform.

"Of course he needs to understand the long-term plan is there for him because it is a personal career - it is not only about the club.

"If you don't play well you have to remember a club will transfer you and fans will start to boo. But that is not the case of Anthony, he is loved by the fans. He is loved by the manager I am sure.

"It's an understanding, making a compromise in some ways, to make sure the player is happy and create a platform to win trophies again."

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Having started the 2018-19 campaign on the fringes of the United fold, Martial has found the target six times in his last five Premier League appearances to highlight his value to the cause.

"I think the situation was more about the actual understanding - sometimes you have a feeling something is missing; the players, the tactics," Saha said of Mourinho’s selection calls.

"As a fan, as someone who has been there in the club and as a forward sometimes I was feeling the link between players was not there.

"He has been asked to take a lot of responsibility in the field because he is a tremendous player with a lot of quality.

"You could see sometimes his body language was wrong. But the last few weeks he has just been an immense player.

"Doing a lot of defensive work, celebrations that I have not seen before so he shows a lot of quality signs that you can be very happy about. If he can replicate that and impact other players around him it will be a massive change."