On the back of Manchester United's first defeat of the season and with a misfiring front line, Louis Van Gaal has moved for French forward Anthony Martial.

The striker has landed in England after being released from international duty, and is at the club's Carrington training ground to finalise his move.

The 19-year old arrives from Ligue Une side AS Monaco, for a reported fee of £36m and will add much needed impetous, to United's thus-far impotent attacking unit, during the start of this campaign.

Following Wayne Rooney's failure to find the net in the first four games this term, United's fanbase have becoming inpatient with the England international and calls for further reinforcement look to have been answered.

United lacking forwards

This summer, United have seen strikers Robin Van Persie depart for Fenerbahce and Radamel Falcao to Premier League rivals Chelsea, following an unsuccessful loan trial - also from Monaco.

With Javier Hernandez also set to end his unsettled spell to join Bayer Leverkusen for a around 12m Euros, United are left with just one out-and-out striker.

Hopes for Memphis Depay have been tempered, after the Dutch forward has not hit the ground running and whilst Memphis should still come good with time, United are goal-shy, to say the least.

The arrival of Martial should remedy that. The French teenager has been compared to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Indeed Henry, who scored 174 goals during his eight years with The Gunners, was Martial's idol growing up.

Martial himself, has scored 11 goals in 49 appearances for Les Rouges et Blanc, since moving from Lyon in 2013. Martial scored nine times in thirty six last term. Martial has also been called up to the French national side, for the games versus Portugal and Serbia.

Martial is renowned for having a slightly care-free approach to his game. If so, Van Gaal's extreme, notoriously letidgious training sessions and fitness plans, may leave United with a problem. Still at not even twenty, Martial has huge room to develop, grow and mature. 

Martial must deliver

Whether this a pure panic buy for a pacy, if extremely raw talent, remains to be seen, but with a fee higher than that of Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez, the pressure will be on the Frenchman to deliver. At only 5'11 also, height may be an issue for a target man than United crave.

What is for sure, is that Anthony Martial's arrival will provide a much needed wake-up-call for Manchester United and in the case of Rooney, may allow the 170-goal forward, to move a into a number ten role, that may suit both him and Memphis more.

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About the author
Neil Leverett
33 year old writer living in London. Arsenal fan but all rounder, specializing in sporting analysis, in particular football.