Anthony Martial is open to the prospect of joining Everton, yet financial considerations are posing a significant barrier to the transfer.
The 30-year-old Martial is currently a free agent following his departure from Mexican side Monterrey. Earlier reports suggested that the forward was offered to Everton after the club was unable to push through a deal for Folarin Balogun in the dying hours of the transfer window.
Martial has shown interest in returning to England. He is well-acquainted with the Premier League, having spent nine years at Manchester United, where he made 209 league appearances and found the back of the net 63 times.
Salary remains the main obstacle
The crux of the issue lies in the financial terms of any potential agreement.
According to Foot Mercato, Martial is now a free agent after leaving Monterrey, with his last reported earnings estimated at around €3.5 million per year.
Currently, Everton are not in a position to take on substantial financial commitments for a player who is viewed primarily as emergency attacking cover.
This situation is particularly pressing for manager David Moyes; with Beto's exit and the late collapse of the Balogun deal, his squad has only one recognised central striker remaining — Tierno Barry.
Everton in no rush
Despite the urgent need for reinforcements, Everton are not poised to sign Martial on a whim.
The Toffees are prepared to make an offer to the Frenchman only if Barry suffers an injury in the coming weeks. Therefore, Martial is viewed more as a contingency option rather than a first-choice target.
