Jose Mourinho will not fight to keep Anthony Martial at Manchester United against his wishes, but the forward will have to tell him that he wants to leave.

United want Martial to stay and are ready to activate a clause in his contract that will extend it by 12 months, which would mean it expires in the summer of 2020.

However, the United hierarchy - and in particular Mourinho - have been alarmed by briefings from the player’s representatives that he still wants to quit Old Trafford after spending much of last season out of the starting XI.

At boardroom level there is a desire to resist any attempt by Martial to force a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but Mourinho does not want an unhappy player in his squad and will demand to know what the 22-year-old’s intentions are while the club are on tour in the USA.

If Martial informs him, face-to-face, that he wants to leave before the close of the transfer window next month, the Portuguese will not stand in his way.