Anthony Martial: Man Utd sign Monaco forward
Manchester United have completed the £36m signing of Monaco forward Anthony Martial, making him the world's most expensive teenage footballer.
The fee could rise to £58m.
France Under-21 international Martial, who scored eight goals in 31 Ligue 1 games last season, signed a four-year deal with the option for a fifth year.
The 19-year-old, who had been linked with Arsenal,becomes United's third most expensive signing after Angel Di Maria (£59.7m) and Juan Mata (£37.1m)
He was allowed to leave the France squad on Monday for a medical with Louis van Gaal's side, who have given him the number nine shirt.
Monaco signed Martial for £4.4m two years ago from Lyon, who will receive about £7.35m as a result of a sell-on clause.
Conditions that would increase the fee include Martial winning the Ballon d'Or award for the world's top footballer.
The previous world record transfer fee for a teenager was £27m, which United paid for Southampton left-back Luke Shaw last summer and Paris St-Germain spent on Roma centre-back Marquinhos in 2013.
His signing came as Premier League spending passed £850m for the first time in a transfer window.
MARTIAL PROFILE
A forward who is often compared to Premier League
legend Thierry Henry, another former Monaco man,
Anthony Martial is widely regarded as one of the most
highly-rated young players in Europe.
The 19-year-old was initially preparing for France's
international friendly with Portugal before flying to
Manchester to join the Reds, his third club in
professional football after Olympique Lyonnais and AS
Monaco.
He began his career in the junior ranks of CO Les Ulis,
where Henry and former Old Trafford favourite Patrice
Evra both started their illustrious careers. At the age of
14, Martial joined Lyon and became a regular for the
France Under-16s, scoring nine goals in 17 games.
More strikes followed for the Under-17s (nine in 13
games) and Under-18s (three in four games) as his
reputation continued to soar at international level.
Domestically, he also plundered over 30 goals for
Lyon's Under-17s as it became difficult to contain the
hype surrounding his promise.
Although he broke into the Lyon team in 2012/13,
making four appearances, more experienced strikers
such as Lisandro Lopez, Alexandre Lacazette and
Bafetimbi Gomis, who scored the winner for Swansea
City against United in August, naturally barred the way
to the starting XI. However, Martial's excellent
potential was so obvious Monaco paid €5million for his
signature in a transfer that rocked French football.
The attackers competing for a starting place included
Radamel Falcao but Anthony still managed 11 league
appearances, scoring twice as the team finished
runners-up behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.
Falcao’s loan switch to Old Trafford at the beginning of
2014/15 enabled Martial to take over the mantle as the
main striker and he responded with nine goals, while
also only missing three league fixtures all season.
Monaco llater finished third and even reached the
Champions League quarter-finals.
Although Martial did not score in Europe, he did set up
a goal for former Reds striker Dimitar Berbatov and
impressed against United's Premier League rivals
Arsenal in the competition's second round. The
performance at the Emirates Stadium was one of his
finest as the Gunners suffered a shock 3-1 defeat.
Martial is already off the mark for 2015/16 after
netting against Young Boys in the Champions League
qualifiers, though it was Monaco’s exit from the
competition at the hands of Valencia that reportedly
opened the door to broker a deal for a player who had
only signed a new contract in early July.
He is capable of playing as a right-sided attacker and
his youth-team pedigree suggests he will become more
prolific in front of goal as he matures. A fan of
Brazilians including Ronaldo and Sonny Anderson as a
schoolboy, he has elements of South American-style
flair in his game and should prove popular with fans.
MARTIAL PROFILE
A forward who is often compared to Premier League
legend Thierry Henry, another former Monaco man,
Anthony Martial is widely regarded as one of the most
highly-rated young players in Europe.
The 19-year-old was initially preparing for France's
international friendly with Portugal before flying to
Manchester to join the Reds, his third club in
professional football after Olympique Lyonnais and AS
Monaco.
He began his career in the junior ranks of CO Les Ulis,
where Henry and former Old Trafford favourite Patrice
Evra both started their illustrious careers. At the age of
14, Martial joined Lyon and became a regular for the
France Under-16s, scoring nine goals in 17 games.
More strikes followed for the Under-17s (nine in 13
games) and Under-18s (three in four games) as his
reputation continued to soar at international level.
Domestically, he also plundered over 30 goals for
Lyon's Under-17s as it became difficult to contain the
hype surrounding his promise.
Although he broke into the Lyon team in 2012/13,
making four appearances, more experienced strikers
such as Lisandro Lopez, Alexandre Lacazette and
Bafetimbi Gomis, who scored the winner for Swansea
City against United in August, naturally barred the way
to the starting XI. However, Martial's excellent
potential was so obvious Monaco paid €5million for his
signature in a transfer that rocked French football.
The attackers competing for a starting place included
Radamel Falcao but Anthony still managed 11 league
appearances, scoring twice as the team finished
runners-up behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.
Falcao’s loan switch to Old Trafford at the beginning of
2014/15 enabled Martial to take over the mantle as the
main striker and he responded with nine goals, while
also only missing three league fixtures all season.
Monaco llater finished third and even reached the
Champions League quarter-finals.
Although Martial did not score in Europe, he did set up
a goal for former Reds striker Dimitar Berbatov and
impressed against United's Premier League rivals
Arsenal in the competition's second round. The
performance at the Emirates Stadium was one of his
finest as the Gunners suffered a shock 3-1 defeat.
Martial is already off the mark for 2015/16 after
netting against Young Boys in the Champions League
qualifiers, though it was Monaco’s exit from the
competition at the hands of Valencia that reportedly
opened the door to broker a deal for a player who had
only signed a new contract in early July.
He is capable of playing as a right-sided attacker and
his youth-team pedigree suggests he will become more
prolific in front of goal as he matures. A fan of
Brazilians including Ronaldo and Sonny Anderson as a
schoolboy, he has elements of South American-style
flair in his game and should prove popular with fans.
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