Anthony Martial leaves Manchester United pre-season tour for birth of second child

Martial, who wishes to leave United this summer, left United’s training camp in Los Angeles on Wednesday and flew to Paris to be by the side of his partner

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Thursday 26 July 2018 15:03 BST
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Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Anthony Martial took the decision to leave Manchester United’s pre-season tour to attend the birth of his second child.

Martial, who wishes to leave United this summer, left United’s training camp in Los Angeles on Wednesday and flew to Paris to be by the side of his partner, Mélanie Da Cruz.

United faced Milan in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday night - claiming a penalty shoot-out victory after a 1-1 draw in regular play - and up until news of his departure broke, Martial was expected to feature.

Mourinho, however, claimed to have no issue with the player’s decision after the final whistle at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

The United manager also said that Martial had given him at least two days’ notice about his need to leave the camp.

“I found out that Martial was going to Paris when he told me. It was two or three days ago,” Mourinho said.

“When it is personal reasons, everyone analyses that the way he thinks is the correct way.

“When a man is going to be a father — in this case, it's the second time he is going to be a father — and he decides it very important for him to go, nobody has the right to stop him to go.”

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