Manchester United broke a transfer record when signing Anthony Martial from Monaco a decade ago, but the Red Devils were later able to save money on the forward
Manchester United paid a world-record fee for a teenager when bringing Anthony Martial to Old Trafford on deadline day 2015, but the Red Devils were later able to save some money on the forward. Martial arrived from Monaco for an initial £36million, with the deal potentially rising to £57.6m.
There was hope that Martial could be the prospect to ignite the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, even if United boss Louis van Gaal believed the club had overpaid for the forward. His debut goal against Liverpool, combined with numerous comparisons to Thierry Henry, only added more fuel to the fire.
Martial ended his debut season with 11 league goals, but would only better that tally once before he left the club in 2024. Although he ultimately failed to fulfil his potential at United, the excitement surrounding the Frenchman was summed up by a contract clause dependent on Martial being shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, which saved United £7.2m.
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Martial signing for £36m broke the record fee for a teenager that had been set by his team-mate Luke Shaw’s move from Southampton the previous year. However, Monaco included three transfer clauses in the deal, each worth £7.2m, which could have seen the club earn an additional £21.6m.
The first objective to be achieved was Martial scoring 25 league goals by the end of the 2018/19 season. His bright start to life at Old Trafford suggested this would not be a problem, but Martial’s subsequent inconsistent form meant the £7.2m was not paid until October 2018.
The second clause rested on the striker earning 25 caps for France. He made his international debut soon after signing for United and featured 30 times for Les Bleus between 2015 and 2021.
United were spared from paying the final £7.2m, though, as Martial was never among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or. He came closest during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 23 goals in all competitions, but struggled to rediscover that form before leaving the club as a free agent last year. It meant that United paid £50.4m in total for Martial, who scored 90 goals in 317 appearances.
While Martial showed early signs of promise, Van Gaal was honest in his belief that United had been overcharged. A short time after the deal had been finalised, the Dutch coach explained that the forward had been bought more for the next United manager.
« It was a ridiculous amount of money, but it’s the crazy world we are in, » Van Gaal told executive United season ticket holders in 2015. « United are routinely quoted £10m more for a player, but I have not bought Martial for me. I have bought him for the next manager of Manchester United. » He later suggested he would be succeeded by his assistant coach, Ryan Giggs.
However, Van Gaal was replaced by Jose Mourinho in 2016, and Marial began to lose some of his early momentum, with the striker later accusing the manager of disrespect. It wasn’t until the arrival of United hero Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that Martial began to remind fans of his potential, though he was unable to sustain his top form beyond a single season.
After Solskjaer left the Red Devils in November 2021, Martial fell out of favour with interim boss Ralf Rangnick. He was loaned out to Sevilla in January, scoring once in 12 appearances. In his two years under Erik ten Hag, Martial scored 11 goals in 48 games.
This was not what Monaco had envisioned when selling the young forward to Old Trafford. He had been expected to meet all of the club’s transfer clauses, including being shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or.
In 2015, Monaco president Vadim Vasilyev announced: « The price for Martial is £57.6million, but take into account this sum includes bonuses, which are very realistic. »
United released Martial at the end of his contract last year, ending his nine-year stint at Old Trafford. The 29-year-old later joined Greek side AEK Athens, where he scored nine goals in 23 games across all competitions last season.
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