Anthony Martial's role at Manchester United was redundant heading into the January transfer window, but now it looks untenable after a weekend in which he allegedly refused to be selected for the trip to face Aston Villa.
United could have named nine substitutes for their trip to Villa Park, instead they only named eight, two of which were goalkeepers after being left short by their wantaway forward.
Martial, 26, has not played since the 3-2 win over Arsenal on December 2nd after expressing a clear desire to leave on loan this month, a task made slightly more difficult by United's stubborn demands.
The French forward has not been selected in the last five United games since he informed interim manager Ralf Rangnick of his wish to leave before the winter transfer deadline on January 31, though he denied the allegation of refusing to represent the team.
Either there has been a serious breakdown in communication or one of them is lying; either way it is an ugly scenario that has left United embarrassed by a fringe player amid continued struggles on the pitch.
Critics of Martial have had a free-hit at the forward in the wake of the weekend but it says a lot about the current state of play at Old Trafford that such dirty laundry even needs to be aired in public. A polarising player has just divided even more opinion.
No matter whose side you are on, it is hard to argue against a January exit for Martial, a player who does not want to be at the club and who needs to move on if he is to fulfil his own ambitions of a World Cup call-up later in the year.
United have missed the chance to execute an amicable separation from a player adored by a cult following, instead they are now faced with a messy divorce.
If it is true that Martial refused to be selected then United have every right to get revenge by refusing an exit this month and forcing the forward to train with the youngsters, but at time where there is already dressing room disharmony, even that could be a sizeable risk.
Ultimately it shouldn't matter and whatever the manager, interim or not, wants should be final. The very fact it can even be questioned hints at a power struggle behind the scenes.
United have been criticised for lacking authority on and off the pitch in recent weeks but the Martial situation offers them the perfect opportunity to put things right whether that be tough punishment or getting rid of him at all costs.
Sevilla have already seen a loan bid rejected for the Frenchman after United played hardball and demanded a sizeable £6million loan fee as well as half of his wages paid, it is a transfer mistake which they could live to regret.
In recent years the business side of things has often interfered with footballing matters and, while Martial might be worthy of a sizeable sale fee later this year, it would be better for the club to execute a clean cut and sell him for a nominal one just to get him out of their way this month.
Martial will rightly attract a lot of interest wherever he ends up next but for his own good, and that of United's, he needs to leave this month.
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