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Football

31st Aug 2015

Manchester United to make late €55million bid for teenage French striker

Martial plan

Gareth Makim

Another blunt display up front looks like forcing Louis van Gaal into a desperate late effort to add talent to his striking options

French newspaper Le Parisien suggest Manchester United are chasing young French international striker Anthony Martial, and are believed to be returning to Monaco with an increased offer of €55million (£40m) after a €50million bid was rejected by the Ligue 1 club.

The Daily Star claims that United have already agreed personal terms with Martial, who is just 19 and scored nine league goals for Monaco last season, and talks with the club could get under way today.

The club would be reluctant sellers, and the reports suggest they are holding out for a fee of €60million and Argentina defender Marcos Rojo, while Van Gaal would prefer to include forward Javier Hernandez, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford and been heavily linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Any deal involving a United player going to Monaco would need to be resolved today, as the French transfer window closes at midnight.

Martial has tons of ability and been dubbed by many as ‘the new Thierry Henry’, but does he fit United’s need for a frontman who can make an instant impact in the Premier League?

 

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