Jose Mourinho hits out at Anthony Martial’s agent and says Manchester United striker 'needs to listen to me'

"He needs to listen to me in training, where I try to improve the players," Mourinho added
"He needs to listen to me in training, where I try to improve the players," Mourinho added

Jose Mourinho has slammed Anthony Martial’s agent for trying to unsettle the France international at Manchester United and ordered the striker to start listening to him rather than his advisor.

Martial scored United’s equaliser in the 2-1 win over Middlesbrough and enjoyed one of his best games under Mourinho.

His manager was pleased with the performance and the goal, but when asked about the former Monaco striker, the Portuguese used it as an opportunity to go on the offensive with his agent Philippe Lamboley.

Lamboley had told reporters in France that his client was keen to look at the option of signing for Sevilla in the January transfer window because he was not guaranteed first team football at United, which drew a stinging response from Mourinho.

“He played, he scored, he fought,” said Mourinho. “I know he's a top talent, but he needs to listen to me, not his agent. He needs to listen to me in training, where I try to improve the players.

Mourinho has been left frustrated by the agent
Mourinho has been left frustrated by the agent

“I knew that Mkhitaryan was a top talent and I was not playing him. Anthony needs to listen to me and not listen to his agent. He has to listen to me in training every day. Every feedback I give to players, I give to improve them as player.

"Almost every day, I was having Mkhitaryan's agent calling me and saying 'Mkhitaryan with you, will be a better player. Keep going'.

"And with Martial, every day I read the newspaper - Martial goes to Sevilla, Martial goes on loan, he's not happy. Martial needs to listen to me. He's a player with amazing condition to be a top player."

Mourinho also expressed his sympathy for Zlatan Ibrahimovic after he was harshly denied a goal against Middlesbrough that would have meant he ended 2016 as the joint top goalscorer in Europe alongside Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

“It’s hard, we respect the referees and know they want to do well,” he added. “But Lee [Mason]will be very disappointed. It was very disappointing for us.

“Zlatan would have scored a goal in the first half, which would have made him the top scorer in 2016 with Lionel Messi, an outstanding player like Lionel Messi. I’m sad for him because it was a beautiful goal.”

License this content