Van Gaal: Martial Will Be Eased Into Action

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed new signing Anthony Martial will be introduced into the first team "at the right time".

Much of the talk in the media has focused on the fee the Reds paid Monaco to sign the young French striker, with suggestions it puts pressure on him to succeed instantly at Old Trafford.

But van Gaal rejects such a notion, insisting the forward will be built up gradually, and says United were forced to spend big on the teenager due to the nature of the transfer market.

"He is a young player and has already played for Monaco’s first team and in the Champions League," van Gaal told MUTV. "He is the best of his age and that’s why he bought him.

"But we have to wait and see. He is 19 years old and he has to adapt. You have seen how [Angel] Di Maria struggled here and he was 27, and [Radamel] Falcao was 29.

"We have to give him time but it’s difficult because fans are reading in the media about the money we paid for him, and they think he shall score at once, but it is not like that.

"We are living in a crazy world and now we have to pay that kind of money because, otherwise, he would have gone to another club. We bought him because we need a striker in the future.

"Maybe he can show signals of his quality this season. We can build him up and, at the right time, he can enter the game."