Tottenham reportedly want player compared to Lionel Messi in 2015

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Tottenham could be preparing to wave goodbye to Harry Kane. The Daily Mail reported last night that the England man is keen to leave the club, with Manchester United and Manchester City likely to be interested. 

The report claimed that Tottenham have identified Anthony Martial as a player they’d be willing to take in part-exchange and Jamie Redknapp previously compared him to Lionel Messi.

Of course, the Frenchman’s career hasn’t quite developed akin to the Argentine magician’s. In 2015, however, Redknapp mentioned the little sensation in the same breath as the United man.

Shortly after Martial had swapped Monaco for Old Trafford in a deal worth £58 million, Redknapp raved about the youngster during an interview with Sky Sports. 

He said during an episode of Super Sunday: “I watched Anthony Martial for 90 minutes in the Champions League and the only 19-year-old I’ve seen better at that age was Lionel Messi.

“I played against Wayne Rooney when he made his debut but this boy has so much intelligence. He goes past people like they’re not there.”

Martial’s career hasn’t quite gone according to plan and he’s certainly not lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was a teenager.

Now 25, the France international has played 258 games, scoring 78 goals and registering 50 assists for the Red Devils. During 2020/21, he’s managed 16 goal contributions in 36 matches.

It seems likely that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will want to reshape his squad in the summer and it would be no surprise to see Martial become a fall guy ahead of the recruitment drive.

TBR View: Martial could be a decent signing for Tottenham

Of course, Redknapp’s comparison to Messi was proved badly wrong but that doesn’t mean the Frenchman is a bad player.

He isn’t perhaps good enough to hold down a regular place in the United team but he’s definitely capable of playing regularly at another Premier League club.

His versatility to play on the left or through the middle could help Tottenham in the final third and he does know where the back of the net is.

The £250,000-a-week player needs confidence and playing every week in North London would certainly help him with that.

Martial isn’t in the same bracket as Kane but along with plenty of cash, he’d be a decent player for Tottenham to ask United to include in the deal.