Have the club disrespected Martial?

   Anthony Martial is aggravated with the club after he found out that he would wear the number 11 next season, and new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic will take his number. Thus, he unfollowed the club on Twitter and Instagram and ignited waves of excitement from Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City fan's, deluded enough to think that Martial will leave the club. Changing a players number should never really become a big thing for supporters or for the player themselves. In my opinion players should focus more on playing for what is on the front of the shirt, than what is on the back. Besides, it's not like the club have given Martial number 39, which would signify that Martial may not be a first team player this season, he now has number 11, an iconic United number previously worn by none other than Ryan Giggs.

Martial was formidable last season.

   It is definitely a childish act from Martial, and he shouldn't make such a big deal out of his number being changed surely? One of the reasons why Martial may have or may be starting to make a big deal out of the number change is the recent launch of his own brand focusing on headphones, underwear and football boots, called 'AM9'. Whereas I can kind of understand why he might be a bit annoyed about the inconvenience it causes that he is now number 11 not 9, I am sure Martial can find the pennies to be able to hire another web specialist to redesign his very new brand, and be able to find the money to re produce his new products. Martial was also number 26 for a period of time at his previous club Monaco, and he is also number 11 for the French national team, so surely number 9 cannot mean that much to him? The Young forward may have got the motivation of launching his 'AM9' brand from Cristiano Ronaldo's 'CR7' brand, but in my opinion it is foolish to base a brand on a number that you are wearing, especially when you are a young footballer like Martial who is not culturally known for being number 9 like Ronaldo is number 7. 

Martial recently launched his brand, 'AM9'.

   However, Sir Alex Ferguson famously once said: 'No player is ever bigger than the club'. But giving Ibrahimovic the number nine shirt that was already vacant, may be a sign that these values are starting to become irrelevant. Especially as Sir Alex Ferguson still plays a significant part at the club, you would have thought he would have had his say on giving the number 9 to Ibrahimovic. As good a signing as Ibrahimovic is for United, I think its a bit harsh that a player who previously had no affiliation to United can come and take the shirt number off a player who last season was so fantastic and played crucial part for United. For me, its another example of a situation that has been handled poorly by the club, and communication between senior officials and the player were not good enough, and Martial should have definitely been informed of the number change before the media were allowed to expose it. Ibrahimovic also may have taken Martial's number 9 shirt due to shirt sale reasons. Giving Ibrahimovic a number that is not vacant would have put some customers off buying the Ibrahimovic kit and thus his sales may have slightly dropped.  

   So what happens next? Martial requests a transfer? Moves to Arsenal? Absolutely not. I don't think much should be made of what has happened with this 'Shirt Number Gate'. I think the whole thing will die down and it will be forgotten once he scores goal after goal in his new number 11 shirt next season. Only if Martial does not get the starts that he deserves should it then become an issue. He should be one of the first players on the team sheet come the first game against Bournemouth come August 14th and I believe he will be. I think Martial will play predominantly on the left wing under Mourinho, and the number 11 also suits the position on left winger, as us United fans only know too well.