Anthony Martial's Agent Says Player Is Close to New Manchester United Contract

The agent for Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has said the player is on the brink of agreeing a new contract at Old Trafford.

As relayed by RMC's Mohamed Bouhafsi (h/t Sport Witness), the France international's representative, Philippe Lamboley, has confirmed a five-year deal will be signed by Martial, although "some details need to be finalised."

The story emerged on Friday at a similar time to a raft of reports saying the United No. 11 is set to commit his long-term future to the football club. Sky Sports News said Martial has struck fresh terms with the Premier League side:

According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, Martial turned down a contract extension in October, although he now appears set to stay at United for a while yet.

If United were able to get this extension over the line, then it would be a massive boost, as Martial has been outstanding for them in 2018-19 and is regarded by many as one of the best attacking prospects in world football.

This season the 23-year-old has established himself as a first-team regular for the Red Devils and is the team's joint top scorer in the Premier League with eight goals.

There were times during the summer when Martial looked unlikely to still be a United player this season. It was reported by James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph that while former manager Jose Mourinho wanted to sell Martial, the Old Trafford hierarchy were against cashing in.

Martial has rewarded their faith in him, and following a couple of challenging seasons he's been back at his best, providing a composure in front of goal few players can match:

As relayed by the Scouted Football account, throughout his career Martial has been a productive footballer:

With Mourinho gone, it's not a surprise to see United accelerate their attempts to tie the forward down for the next five years.

Under new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the Red Devils have been much more enterprising in their play, with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba making major improvements. The extra attacking impetus in the team will surely suit Martial too.

United writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz has said he expects big things from the Frenchman under this new regime:

It will be intriguing to see how Martial does develop at United. All the attributes are there for him to become one of the most effective wide forwards in the game, as his speed, close control and finishing make him a thrill to watch.

After some uncertainty regarding Martial's position, the Red Devils will be delighted when this one is boxed off. It'll now be up to Solskjaer or the next United boss to help the gifted winger deliver on the immense promise he has shown from a young age.