Manchester United paid an incredible £36m to sign 19-year-old attacker Anthony Martial in an attempt to ward off Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City, according to reports.
The Red Devils raised eyebrows after splashing the massive fee on the teenager, with Martial having now overtaken Luke Shaw as the most expensive teenager in football history.
That figure could reportedly rise to as much as £58m including bonuses and add-ons, and a Manchester United source told The Daily Mail that the club were happy to pay the mega fee to ward off interest from its Premier League rivals as well as two other European giants.
“Barcelona, Paris St Germain, Chelsea and City were all in on pre-contract for Martial next season,” the source said.
“We paid a premium to get him now. It is similar to what we did with Ronaldo – and that turned out OK.”
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Many accused United of making a last-minute panic buy, however, the source refuted the claims, saying the Premier Leaguue giants had been tracking the youngster
“The player has been watched a number of times. It was only when Monaco lost in the Champions League play-off to Valencia that it became something we could do.”
Martial is expected to be thrown straight in the deep end after the international break when United take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on September 12.
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