Anthony Martial: What Will He Bring To Manchester United?

After making him the most expensive teenager in the world, even Louis van Gaal admitted the fee Manchester United paid for Anthony Martial was "ridiculous".

Signed for an initial £36m from Monaco, the 19-year-old's move to Old Trafford was the fourth biggest deal of the summer involving a Premier League club.

So just what was it that convinced United to splash such a huge amount of cash on a player Wayne Rooney had not even heard of? With the help of WhoScored.com, we look at the numbers that show what Martial might offer and whether his signing was a risk worth taking...

At the start of the summer the young forward was one of very few assets that Monaco simply weren't willing to let leave. Along with midfielder Bernardo Silva, the 19-year-old was a talent they expected to get the biggest profit out of in 2016.

However, like they did with Memphis Depay, United decided to make their move early to ensure they won the race to secure his signature.

During his time at Monaco, Martial netted 11 league goals in 48 appearances, with nine of those coming from 28 starts. A record close to one in three starts is no mean feat given he played for the club between the ages of 17 and 19.

Nevertheless, those figures also highlight that Martial is still very much unproven. While 51 senior league appearances is a notable tally for a teenager, his league playing time (2590 minutes) equates to just 29 full matches, with a goal or an assist every 162 minutes on average.

At international level, Martial has been a regular in the France youth sides over the past few years, playing at the 2012 European Under-17 Championship and U19 European Championship in 2013.

He was called up to the senior squad for the first time this summer and made his debut as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Portugal.

Martial's electric pace makes him well suited to a counter-attacking approach, tending to cut in from the left and flourishing when given space to run into so he can exploit his dribbling ability - highlighted among his statistical strengths by WhoScored.com.

The forward completed a dribble every 38 minutes last season, which was second only to Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco at Monaco.

United, though, adopt a patient, possession-based approach that rarely provides them with opportunities to break at pace. It's a feature that has limited Memphis' impact thus far and could yet hinder Martial's progress under Van Gaal.

It's telling that the Dutchman said this week: "I have not bought Martial for me, I have bought him for the next manager of Manchester United." That may well be true, with Martial's best years likely to be some way off, but perhaps hints towards the fact that the player might not suit Van Gaal's current approach.

With further statistically calculated strengths of 'finishing' and 'key passes' according to WhoScored, there's no question Martial has the potential to be an excellent player.

Boasting a chance conversion rate of 22.2 per cent since the turn of the year - scoring eight goals in that time - the youngster has also laid on four assists since the start of last season.

His performances in Ligue 1 last season earned him a rating of 6.73 from WhoScored and he was the top teenage scorer in Europe's top five leagues since the start of 2014/15.

Van Gaal has intimated that he is willing to be patient with this precocious talent and the fans must follow suit if Martial is to fulfil his potential at Old Trafford. Ultimately, though, a change in approach may yet be required if we are to see the best of the teenager in the coming seasons.

Credit: Skysports.com