Anthony Martial joins United for the sum of £36m – but that fee could still rise with add-ons (AP)
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Manchester United will today confirm the £36.3m move for young Monaco forward Anthony Martial providing he passes a medical without complication, but the eventual fee is believed to be much higher if he goes on to fulfil his touted potential.
19-year-old Martial arrived in Manchester yesterday in what quickly became the shock of the summer, with United pressing on with a move that will make him the most expensive teenager in history even though he is yet to play for his country.
Having scored 12 goals in 48 appearances for the Principality in two years, United fans were immediately asking questions of manager Louis van Gaal and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward over why they had bid such a huge fee on an unproven talent.
But that anger soon ramped up as Monaco revealed the full extent of the agreement between the two clubs that could see United pay as much as €80m (£58.8m) that would make him the second most expensive signing in British history, less than £1m cheaper than United’s move last summer for Angel Di Maria.
Officials at the Ligue 1 club told French TV station Canal+ on Monday night that while the initial agreement is for €50m, an additional €30m has been agreed in performance-based add-ons such as goal and appearance fees for both club and country.
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Martial received his first call-up to the France squad last week ahead for Euro 2016 hosts’ international friendlies with Portugal and Serbia, but had to ask head coach Didier Deschamps for permission to travel to England to complete a record-breaking deal, which he was granted.
At £36.3m, Martial will become the most expensive ever teenage signing in football worldwide, overtaking the £30m that United paid Southampton for Luke Shaw last summer. But should Martial prove to be a success, he could become the 8th most expensive ever signing, overtaking Brazil midfielder Kaka’s £56m move to Real Madrid in 2009 and costing just £1m less than Barcelona paid Inter Milan for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
France expect Martial to rejoin the national team later today, suggesting that a deal is expected to be a straight-forward one and which could be announced well in advance of the 6pm transfer deadline.
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