Paul Merson: Why I feel for Man United signing Anthony Martial

Paul Merson says he feels for Manchester United signing Anthony Martial after his big-pressure move to Old Trafford from Monaco on Tuesday.

The Red Devils signed the 19-year-old centre-forward in a £36m deal from the Ligue 1 side on transfer deadline day to become United’s sixth summer signing.

They have let a lot of strikers go and I think they will be left short after not getting a top-drawer centre-forward in

Paul Merson

Martial, who is yet to earn a France cap, is the third-most expensive signing in United’s history after £57.1m flop Angel di Maria and £37.1m signing Juan Mata.

And former Arsenal midfielder Merson reckons Martial will be under big pressure to perform for United after his big-money summer move to the 20-time English champions.

“I feel for Anthony Martial,” Merson told Sky Sports. “He was playing for 5,000 people at Monaco on top of a car park and now he is going to be playing in front of 70,000 at Old Trafford – that’s a big ask for the lad.

“They have let a lot of strikers go and I think they will be left short after not getting a top-drawer centre-forward in.”

Van Gaal signed midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay, defender Matteo Darmian and Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero in the summer transfer window.

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Robin van Persie moved to Fenerbahce, Javier Hernandez joined Bayer Leverkusen and Adnan Januzaj sealed a season-long loan move to Borussia Dortmund.