Aston Villa have gone from strength to strength under Unai Emery and the latest reports have linked them with a Manchester United star.

The Spanish manager has changed the fortunes at Villa Park and the club are now just 90 minutes away from being in Europe next season.

Ollie Watkins has been in a rich vein of form under Emery, but they are looking to add to their forward department. Watkins has scored 14 goals this season and has also provided six assists.

As Aston Villa prepare to strengthen their squad further, they have been linked with a move for Anthony Martial ahead of the summer.

The French forward has had a frustrating season at Old Trafford as he has struggled to stay fit. Across 19 league appearances, he has scored five goals and provided two assists.

According to Football Transfers, Aston Villa are considering signing the French forward on an initial loan deal with an option-to-buy after a year.

This move could turn out to be best for both parties. Martial would get the chance to prove his worth and Man Utd would get him off the wage bill for the time being.

Considering his lack of game time, his goal return has still been fairly consistent. This season he has averaged a goal contribution every 126 minutes which is decent going.

If Aston Villa can manage to keep him fit for an extended period, he could be a decent option. With the added burden of European football, Emery will be keen to add more depth to his squad.

Erik ten Hag ready to sell

As Man Utd will be in the market for a new striker themselves, Ten Hag is reportedly ready to part ways with Martial. While he has shown glimpses of quality, Ten Hag hasn’t been able to consistently rely upon the forward.

TEAMtalk recently revealed that United are prepared to listen to offers for Martial this summer. In order to raise funds for other transfers, they are prepared to cash in on the 27-year-old.

Man Utd paid Monaco an initial £36million to sign the forward in 2015. However, the deal had the potential to be worth £58m depending on add-ons.

Given his injury-prone nature, it is unlikely that Man Utd would recoup anywhere near that figure. His current deal at Old Trafford runs until the summer of 2024.

Ten Hag has his eye on a new marquee signing, who would then push Martial further down the pecking order. Both Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen have been mentioned as targets.

Under Ten Hag, Man Utd have heavily relied upon the goals from Marcus Rashford. This season he has been their only player to hit double figures for goals in the league.

A new marquee striker signing in the summer should lessen this burden on Rashford’s shoulders. Ten Hag’s side now need just one point from their remaining two fixtures to qualify for the Champions League next season.

READ MORE: Permanent Man Utd exit explodes into life with Tottenham to be thwarted by Nottingham Forest

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