Sevilla chief prioritises Martial transfer after Man Utd reject initial offer

Sevilla transfer chief Monchi has reportedly made striking a deal for Manchester United flop Anthony Martial his top priority after seeing their initial loan bid snubbed by United.

The Spanish outfit are keen to rescue Martial from his Old Trafford nightmare by whisking him away to La Liga on a short-term loan deal.

The French striker went public with his desire to quit the Premier League earlier this month after falling down the pecking order at United.

Despite Martial making his intentions clear, United have rebuffed Sevilla's initial loan bid - which didn't include an option or obligation to buy and would have only seen them take on a fraction of Martial's bloated £150,000-a-week salary.

But that snub hasn't deterred Sevilla director Monchi; who is set to prioritise thrashing out an agreement for Martial to aid Sevilla's unlikely title, bid according to L'Equipe.

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Under the guidance of Julen Lopetegui, Sevilla have emerged as genuine title contenders this term.

Real Madrid are currently perched at the summit of La Liga with a healthy eight-point advantage over Lopetegui's side, but Sevilla do have a game in hand which could see them eat into that lead.

Sevilla's strong form has reportedly made the move an enticing one for Martial, who will be desperate for United to soften their stance and strike an agreement with the Spanish outfit.

United remain determined to recoup a decent fee for the 26-year-old, despite his sporadic game time this year.

Interim boss Ralf Rangnick also made it clear that Martial, or any other player who wanted to quit the club, would only be allowed to leave on United's terms.

But giving Martial the green light to make a temporary switch to Spain could benefit United more in the long run than digging their heels in over the striker's short-term future.

United are far more likely to rake in a sizeable sum for Martial, who they signed for mega-money in 2015 if he's putting himself in the shop window by playing regularly for Sevilla rather than warming the Old Trafford bench.

Rangnick also hinted that the recent Covid-19 outbreak that rocked the club could play a part in whether or not Martial gets his wish for a temporary escape.

"He explained to me he's been at Manchester United now for the last seven years and he feels it's the right time for a change, to go somewhere else," said Rangnick when discussing Martial's situation prior to Sevilla's opening loan bid.

"I think in a way this is understandable, I could follow his thoughts.

"But, on the other hand, it's also important to see the situation of the club; we have Covid times, we have three competitions in which we still have high ambitions and want to be as successful as we can be.

"I told him 'listen, as long as there is no club showing interest in you…' - and it should not only be in the interest of the player, it should also be in the interest of the club.

"So far, as far as I know, there has been no offer from any other club and as long as this is the case he will stay."