Windfall For Martial's First Club

French sixth-tier club CO Les Ulis will receive a huge cash injection as part of Anthony Martial's transfer from Monaco to Manchester United.

Les Ulis, who are based in the south-western suburbs of Paris, were Martial's first club before he joined Lyon's training academy at the age of 14.

Under FIFA rules, clubs that help develop youngsters who are later transferred are entitled to compensation for the training and education they have provided.

Les Ulis will receive three years of development fees, representing 0.75 per cent of his transfer to United and worth an estimated £270,000, a vast amount for a club four levels below France's professional leagues and one which also nurtured Thierry Henry and Patrice Evra.

"It will cover up to four or five years of our budget," coach Mamadou Niakate said. "We are always struggling to make ends meet.

"This money will help us secure existing jobs and renew our equipment. At the football school, we've been using the same footballs and training shirts over the past four years.

"At the club, we also want to create social links, we try not to turn down anyone and we contribute to the mixing of populations. We try to instill a proper football culture while insisting on school attendance at the same time."

Niakate said Martial's transfer to United will bring much more money into the club's bank account than those of Henry and Evra combined.

"Thierry was just an 11-year-old boy when he left, so we did not receive anything because the solidarity contribution does not work if the player leaves the club before his 12th birthday," Niakate said.

"He later paid for an artificial pitch for the club, though.

"With Evra, we received about 38,000 euros in player development fees. But this is not just about the money. Our main satisfaction is that someone from Les Ulis is able to join such a prestigious club as Manchester United."

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