Solskjaer’s Martial plan

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged Anthony Martial to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps and establish himself as one of the world’s best with Manchester United.

Deadline day may not have brought any new acquisitions at Old Trafford, but there was a key signing as the talented 23-year-old put pen to paper on a new and improved deal.

Martial has committed to 2024, with the option of a further year, to end speculation about a forward that it is understood former United boss Jose Mourinho had been keen to sell in the summer.

The forward forced his way back into the Portuguese’s thoughts and is now an important player for caretaker manager Solskjaer’s side, having been through his “ups and downs” since arriving from Monaco in 2015.

“Very good,” Solskjaer said of Martial’s potential. “He’s a fantastic finisher, great ability, he’s young, he’s intelligent, he knows his football.

“He knows that I’d like him to do a couple more runs in behind, but I’ve not seen many players with the quick feet and the skills in the last third as he has so we’re going to build his career and hopefully he’ll grab the chance with both hands.”

Former striker and 1999 treble hero Solskjaer will work to improve Martial’s game — a player he believes has the ability to regularly score 20-plus goals per season.

United’s caretaker boss also pointed to the example of former team-mate Ronaldo, who he saw grow from a raw teenager to become one of the best around.

“Well, of course, I speak about my experience at this club, what he can achieve at this club because I think I can achieve a lot,” Solskjaer said.

“As I have said many times, 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 sat down and said: ‘if I can be a part of this I’d like to’. I believe and the club believes we have got a top player there.

Solskjaer hopes the likes of David De Gea will also sign new contracts on the back of Martial’s deal, which the Frenchman wil hope to have the chance to celebrate at Leicester tomorrow. The caretaker boss expects the forward to recover from the slight injury that kept him out of Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Burnley at Old Trafford, after which Paul Pogba was seen limping away.

United confirmed yesterday Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini’s move to Shandong Luneng had gone through.

Meanwhile Leicester boss Claude Puel thinks new signing Youri Tielemans will bring more balance to the team and allow them to attack more effectively.

The Belgium international, 21, has arrived on loan from Monaco in a deal which saw Foxes midfielder Adrien Silva move in the opposite direction. Tielemans, who featured for Belgium at last summer’s World Cup and has scored five times for Monaco during this campaign, is a player Puel has tracked for some time.

“I am looking forward to working with him,” he said.

“He can play box to box as well and give better balance in the team to attack. He gives us other options. He has a good shot also and he is a clinical player, he can score and assist. He is an intelligent player. It is good for us to have him in the squad.”