Mikael Silvestre urges Anthony Martial to stay patient at Manchester United
By Jack Wilkinson
Last Updated: 07/02/17 12:53pm
Mikael Silvestre has urged out-of-favour Manchester United winger Anthony Martial to remain patient and not seek a move away from the club.
The France international has endured a testing second season at Old Trafford, where a lack a first-team football has fuelled speculation over his future.
Martial, United's top goalscorer last season with 17 goals, has found the net on just six occasions this term and has been left out of their last three Premier League games.
But former United defender Silvestre has advised his compatriot not to follow the path taken by Paul Pogba, who joined Juventus in 2012 only to return last summer, stressing he is in the perfect place to develop his potential.
"He had been their top scorer last season, but this year he's a different player," Silvestre, who won nine major honours during a glittering nine-year spell at Old Trafford, told talkSPORT.
"He had a difficult summer with France [at Euro 2016] - he had a game where he didn't perform and he was out of the team - and you have to remember the episode of getting his number [taken away] for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to take. He was not happy about that.
"We always say when you have a good first season it's hard to [continue performing], and we have to put that on the fact he's still young and still learning.
"I hope he keeps patient, and won't do a Pogba, like he did and head to Juventus.
"He has to stick around and show his character. The character is about being courageous, stick to it, and work harder - as he has been doing.
"[He can] learn from Ibrahimovic, and learn from Rooney, because those guys have done it and have got what it takes to win trophies.
"It's the best place for a young striker to develop himself. It would be the same for Marcus Rashford."
It would appear Martial is willing to take Silvestre's advice on board, with the winger quashing reports which claim he has his sights set on a summer move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Dont listen the papers it's wrong thanks Come on United 🔴
— Anthony Martial (@AnthonyMartial) February 6, 2017
The 21-year took to Twitter on Monday, saying: "Don't listen (to) the papers it's wrong thanks. Come on United."