Manchester United sign teenage striker Anthony Martial for €51.5m

Anthony Martial has been confirmed as a Manchester United player, signing from Monaco for €51.5 million to make him, at 19, British football's most expensive teenager.

Reports in France have put his final price as high as €84 million, which is just below the British record €85 million paid by United for Angel di Maria.

“I’m so excited to join United,” Martial said. “I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League and look forward to meeting my team-mates.”

The forward has yet to play for the senior France side though he has represented his nation’s under-21 team. He has only 11 career goals in French league football.

An indicator of his relative anonymity was offered by his new team-mate and compatriot Morgan Schneiderlin. The midfielder revealed that Wayne Rooney, United’s captain, had to ask about Martial after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Swansea City.

“To be honest on the plane, Wayne Rooney came to speak to me and asked me who Martial was, because the English press had started to speak,” said Schneiderlin. “I told him he’s a great player with great potential, who has played some good matches with Monaco last season and the beginning of this. I told him he is technical and powerful. A little like Thierry Henry, even if it’s the press who are making that comparison.”

Martial becomes Van Gaal’s sixth major signing of the summer window. He joins Memphis Depay, Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Matteo Darmian and Sergio Romero.

“Anthony is a talented young forward with great potential. I believe this is the club for him to continue his development,” Van Gaal said.

(Guardian service)