Anthony Martial is closing in on a surprise move to Málaga CF, turning his back on an enormous offer from Libya in favour of what he sees as a real sporting project, according to Foot Mercato.
The 30-year-old forward, a free agent since his contract with CF Monterrey was terminated, has been searching for the right platform to restart a career that once lit up Old Trafford. Spain now looks like his next stage, with Málaga, currently 18th in La Liga, expected to become his new home.
It is not for lack of options.
Martial rejected two approaches from Ligue 1 clubs, opting against a return to France despite the comfort and familiarity it might have offered. His name also travelled well beyond Europe. Al-Ittihad Tripoli, ambitious and newly armed with Moroccan winger Sofiane Boufal, pushed hard to lure him to Libya.
The Libyan club did not just knock on the door; they tried to blow it off its hinges.
Their proposal to Martial was staggering: a net salary of 10 million euros over two years, plus a 5 million euro signing bonus. For a player at a crossroads in his thirties, that kind of money can end debates in an instant.
This time, it did not.
Martial is reported to have turned down the deal, choosing instead to pursue what he considers a genuine sporting project. That stance now points him towards Málaga, a club fighting at the wrong end of La Liga but offering something he clearly values more than one last payday: a chance to matter again on the pitch.
