Man United turns to Monaco again to sign Martial
In this file picturetaken on May 3, 2015 Monaco’s French forward Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring a penalty during the French L1 football match between Monaco and Toulouse at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco. AFP
MANCHESTER, England — For the second straight year, Manchester United is turning to French club Monaco to solve its striker shortage in the final hours of Europe’s summer transfer window.
Twelve months ago, it was Radamel Falcao. This time, it’s Anthony Martial.
The French Football Federation said Monday that Martial, a 19-year-old forward who has been compared to France great Thierry Henry, was granted permission to leave France’s national squad to sign a contract at United.
Reports in the French and English media said Martial will cost United 36 million pounds ($55.5 million), a hefty fee for a player who has just been called up by France for the first time ahead of upcoming friendlies against Serbia and Portugal. Martial only signed a new contract at Monaco this summer until 2019.
United is taking a gamble on Martial after the team scored just three goals in its opening four matches of the Premier League season. Wayne Rooney has been used by United manager Louis van Gaal as a lone striker, but hasn’t scored in the league since April 4.
Martial can play as a winger or as a central striker, and has played at all youth levels for France. He scored nine goals in 35 league matches last season and is widely regarded as one of the brightest young players in French football alongside Lyon’s Nabil Fekir.
With his speed, technical skills and penchant for cutting in from the left, Martial has many of the same attributes as Henry — France’s record goalscorer and a Premier League great from his time at Arsenal.
Martial joined Monaco from Lyon in 2013 for 5 million euros and blossomed last season, relegating veteran Dimitar Berbatov to the bench toward the end of the campaign.
“He approached (France coach) Didier Deschamps for authorization to go to England to sign a contract with Manchester United there,” a FFR statement said about Martial. “In these exceptional circumstances, the coach accepted the request of the player.”
Martial is due to link up again with the France squad at its Clairfontaine base near Paris on Tuesday.
A loan move for Falcao didn’t turn out well for United, with the Colombia striker scoring four goals in 29 appearances. United rejected the opportunity to sign Falcao on a permanent basis and also sold Robin van Persie this offseason.
The other strikers in United’s squad are Javier Hernandez, who has been linked with a move in the final days in the transfer window, and youngster James Wilson.
The transfer window closes in England on Tuesday.
