When Sir Alex Ferguson launched his latest book in September he was asked whether the price tag for United striker Anthony Martial was ridiculous or not. The former United manager laughed it off.
“Ridiculous? Not at the moment it’s not!” Ferguson said before citing a fact from the past to add perspective:
“When I first arrived at Old Trafford the club had to rely on gate receipts – imagine that! We signed Viv Anderson and Brian McClair the first year for £1M ($1.6M), then we signed Mark Hughes [for £1.8m].”
Martial, a relative unknown when his last minute deadline day signing was completed, cost £36 million, the third most expensive transfer fee in club history. With add-ons, the contract could reportedly reach the sum of £55 million. Many people, including current United Manager Louis van Gaal, admitted the price was high. Of course, that’s just where the transfer market is these days. It’s what talent costs. As we enter 2016, Martial is United’s leading scorer and the only sign of real life or genuine excitement in the forward position group.
Sir Alex Ferguson is right. At the moment, Martial’s cost was absolutely not ridiculous. Turns out, it was actually a great investment.
Today the CIES Football Observatory released their study of individual player values on the global transfer market.
Anthony Martial had the highest value of any United player, and he was the only Red Devil on the top 15 of CIES’ man list. He checks in at 78 million Euro, or the equivalent of 57 million pounds. That’s well above the transfer fee sum, and even above the add-ons total.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram