Anthony Martial Can Emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at Man United - Solskjaer

Solskjaer believes Anthony Martial can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

PHOTO | IAN KINGTON | AFP

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has urged Anthony Martial to keep improving and emulate the former Manchester United attacker Cristiano Ronaldo after signing a new deal at Old Trafford on Thursday.

The France international puts pen on paper to seal a new contract at Old Trafford on Thursday. This will see him stay at the club until June 2024.

Solskjaer said he told the 23-year-old he could follow in the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's footsteps.

Although Martial scored 17 goals in his first season with United, he has not matched that total since. However, he contributes to the success of the team and his manager believes he can do more. 

Solskjaer has a lot to say about Martial's future at the club. Here are a few quotes from what he had to say. 

"I'm here to help players, to guide players until the summer and I think when you sit him down and talk to him, for example, about Cristiano's career, what he's made of his career and how he's got there and we talk about all the fantastic players with the history they've got, I think Anthony just said, 'If I can be a part of this I'd like to'.

"I speak about my experience at this club and what [Martial] can achieve. I talk about Cristiano's career, what he's made, how he's got there.

"That's up to any player, how you make a decision on how to develop your own career. Cristiano was the best, the way he's changed to now; that's part of any player - you've got to model yourself on someone and you've got to have more challenges ahead of you."

The interim manager is still unbeaten since he took over from Jose Mourinho and he has kept calm in the dressing room. 

"I keep telling him you need to read and sniff whether there's going to be a chance. Maybe get some scruffy goals as well."

"Him and Marcus (Rashford) score lots of 'worldy' goals, but those five or six extra goals that I used to do with tap-ins, by making those runs, go a long way."

"Healthy competition but also they can create a relationship. They can play for many years together, hopefully."

"They can feed off each other because both are very good at coming off the left. If one plays central the other can do opposite movements.

"I think in the coming years we'll see loads of combinations between those two."