Anthony Martial was desperate to join Manchester United, another team offered an even better deal, reveals Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev

Monaco were offered more money and the chance for Martial to stay at the club for another year

Tom Sheen
Saturday 03 October 2015 13:39 BST
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Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has revealed that the Ligue 1 club were offered an even more lucrative deal for Anthony Martial - but the French teenager was desperate to join Manchester United.

The Red Devils were criticised when they announced the deal for the relatively unknown Martial. Despite only scoring 11 goals for Monaco, United paid £36million up front in a deal that could rise to £58m should certain clauses, including winning the Ballon d'Or, be met.

The 19-year-old has taken the club by storm, scoring a brilliant solo goal on his debut in a win against Liverpool and now has four goals in five matches since arriving.

But Vasilyev has revealed to Spanish newspaper Marca that the club received a better offer for Martial but he was set on moving to Old Trafford.

"There was another club that offered even more than United. I will not say how much, but the fixed price, without variables, it was even better," he is quoted as saying.

"And also they offered us to have him for a further year in Monaco.

"But the boy wanted to go to Manchester, it was his dream. And we let him go with the bonus of 30 million. Had it not been for so much money, he’d have stayed."

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