Phil Thompson reckons Anthony Martial’s new contract at Manchester United is ”one of the signings of the transfer window”.
The Frenchman’s future under previous manager Jose Mourinho has seemed uncertain with reports suggesting the Portuguese coach was happy for him to leave the club.
However, Martial has had a new lease of life under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and he signed a new contract until 2024 on transfer deadline day.
“Jose wanted to get rid of this guy, he wanted him out of the door,” Thompson told Sky Sports News. “The lad was thinking about leaving.
“But the club had believed in him and there was a little bit of a stand off last summer. And the club was saying ‘no, no, no we’ve got to believe in him.’
“He’s still extremely young, he’s got the best years ahead of him and they believed in him. And I think maybe a little bit of a fallout was part of it.
“But then you look at Fellaini who got given a new contract last summer by Jose and you’re seeing how all that’s changing round with Manchester United.
“This could be one of the signings of the transfer window, there’s not a lot happening, but him signing for Manchester United…my goodness, it’s a turnaround in fortunes.
“Would he have been looking to pastures new? But as the window has gone on the feel-good factor has come back under Solskjaer.”