Ferdinand: Martial has gone backwards at Manchester United

Manchester United have already secured the signings of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane this summer. However, except for a few loan deals, the Premier League giants have not seen any of their senior players leave the club in the current transfer window.

 has been linked with a move away from Old-Trafford, with the French forward continuing his underwhelming performances in his seventh season at the English side.

Rio Ferdinand

is expecting to see more from Martial, with the former Man United star telling

:

"I think the most frustrating thing about him is that he’s actually gone backwards from when he first signed.

"If you’re a player and you look at when he hit the scene with the two goals against Liverpool and you think to yourself, 'Wow what have we signed here?'. He’s not really hit those heights since.

"As a player I’d love to be able to get inside his head and spend time with him. Everyone thinks they can affect someone with a conversation.

"You’d be saying to him, 'Are you actually happy with what you’re doing, are you happy with your trajectory of how it’s going?'.

"Talent wise, from what I’m told from people, I remember Michael Carrick first went in and saw him and said, 'Rio, this kid could be one of the best players on the planet easy, some of the stuff he does in training takes your breath away'.

"But sometimes there are players who are great in training but don’t replicate enough in games. I hope he’s not going down [that route].

‘He’s still young enough to change it by the way but I don’t know what he needs, a rocket, or he needs someone in the changing room to be getting hold of him and demanding standards every single day and every single game."

England international 

has also been heavily criticized for his performances in the past few seasons. The 29-year-old is yet to make an appearance for the Red Devils since January 2020.

"He’s taking up a youth team player’s position in that squad right now,”

Ferdinand said of Jones’ situation.

"He’s had too many injuries… I was in the same team as Phil Jones, he came from Blackburn as a young kid, everyone was saying he was going to be this great player.

"Huge potential but injuries have absolutely annihilated his career and then confidence issues at certain times as well.

"He’s never been able to fully establish himself in the team. Whether it’s injuries, lack of form, lack of confidence.

"I think he should’ve gone ages ago. He should’ve gone before Chris Smalling went. Find a new club and play some football.

"I am baffled at how he’s still been given a new deal at the club given his past few years at the club. It just doesn’t make sense to me how you get a new deal.

"I remember back in the day you’d have to do some absolute graft to get a new deal. You’d have to be putting in performances, you’d have to be a vital member of the team. Phil Jones isn’t that."

Following their 1-1 draw against Southampton on Sunday, Manchester United will face Wolves in their next Premier League match on August 29.

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