Arsenal: Manchester United can give up Anthony Martial if they want Ozil

Arsenal’s pursuit of a replacement for Alexis Sanchez is taking them into some even less likely territory with Anthony Martial, but is there a makeweight?

When Machester United spent all that they did on Anthony Martial, people laughed. I laughed. It was a lot of money for a young, still unproven talent. The only thing that wasn’t funny about it is that Arsenal would have been such a good home for him.

Arsenal invented giving young French players the world. Or rather, Arsene Wenger did. But he was never going to fork up that kind of money for a teenager.

Ever since then, however, there have been rumors tying Martial to a move to the Emirates yet. As if people make the trek from United (especially Mourinho’s United) to North London all the time. Danny Welbeck is the only big example of such a move, and that’s because he was massively out of favor.

Martial isn’t exactly in favor, but he has a steady role and a place in the starting XI can’t be that far off. Then again, if he did come to Arsenal, it’s hard to think of a reason why he wouldn’t be given first dibs at the starting XI.

On the other side of things, United have a reported interest in one of the Gunner’s own stars – Mesut Ozil. The German maestro has a warm and fuzzy relationship with Jose Mourinho from their time at Real Madrid and as such, the move is being flouted about as if it could really happen.

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Losing Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to both sides of Manchester would be something nasty, even if you subscribe to the school of thought that the Gunners will be fine without them. That said, if we can get two players in return, is it really so bad?

If United want Ozil, they can give us Martial. It wouldn’t be a straight swap, as cash would have to be added, but this is the kind of deal that would solve so many problems. Sure, you’d be letting Ozil slip to a rival, but on the flip side, you know he is leaving anyway and you are getting in return someone with boundless potential.

It may be crazy to get my hopes of regarding a deal like this, but this is the kind of deal that can make the mismanagement of two superstars dissipate into a more important story – how you were able to turn that mismanagement into one of the most promising players in the world.

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It would obviously have to happen in January though, and that’s the hardest part. Wenger does not like January deals, let alone swaps, which never seem to happen.

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