Greek media deliver early verdict on Anthony Martial as he achieves feat he didn’t manage at Man Utd for three years
ANTHONY MARTIAL divided opinion like few others in his nine years at Manchester United.
Now he's transforming the opinions of Greek journalists in just weeks with new club AEK Athens.
The French striker, 28, has also pulled off an encouraging feat that he last managed for United in 2021.
Yet Martial was seen by many as epitomising the Old Trafford under-achievement since Alex Ferguson's glorious reign ended in 2013.
He became the world's costliest teenager when he joined United from Monaco for £36million - two years after Fergie retired.
But injuries and stuttering form plagued his Red Devils' career.
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AEK took the plunge in September, handing Martial a contract until 2027 on their largest ever wages of £2.9million a year.
And it's remarkable the way his fortunes have swayed since then - according to the Greek media.
The verdict on Martial's debut against city rivals PAOK in October typified initial negativity.
He played just 14 minutes as a sub, touching the ball just four times.
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Yet that was enough for one journo to label his appearance "colourless, odourless, and tasteless".
However, the media also accepted it was too early to assess Martial properly - and called for patience on the "out of form" attacker.
went further by claiming the 30-cap star has made "a big difference in the creation part."
Martial's attitude has also been praised - with his "body language" and "statements" showing he is "completely satisfied" with his AEK move.
Now it's down to Martial to ram home his short-term progress with the long-term consistency he lacked at Old Trafford.