Anthony Martial Could Make or Break Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United

Manager Louis van Gaal has been no stranger to big money signings since arriving at Old Trafford last year, but even by his standards, the reported £36 million he has spent on French starlet Anthony Martial is incredible.

He spent more on Angel Di Maria last summer, but the Argentine was already a world-class player and an undoubted star, with plenty of resale value if the move didn’t pan out, as was proved by the £44 million United received for his services from PSG earlier this summer.

Martial is a different prospect entirely. He has cost United nearly £10 million more than Wayne Rooney, yet he is nowhere near as proven as the England striker was when he arrived at the club.

Rooney had netted 15 times for Everton and was already acclimatised to the Premier League, something which has proven a major stumbling block for foreign players time and again. Martial has scored 11 times in Ligue 1 and has yet to make an appearance for the French national team—in comparison, Rooney had already made 17 appearances for England and had scored nine times.

While some may claim comparing Martial with Rooney—one of the most talented players of his generation—is unfair, the exorbitant fee that United have paid and the hype that Van Gaal has created with his “mystery striker” statement, per Mark Ogden of the Telegraph, means the Dutchman only has himself to blame.

The former Bayern Munich coach has enjoyed an air of invincibility since arriving at Old Trafford. Unlike predecessor David Moyes, he has the managerial record in charge of big clubs that means he doesn’t have to answer questions about his aptitude for managing United.

However, football is always evolving and creating new challenges. The monetary imbalances within single leagues are now so pronounced that the big clubs almost have free reign when it comes to plundering smaller sides, but it’s come at a cost.

The transfer fees—and associated pressure—mean that young players are forced into the spotlight and required to hit the ground running like never before. Current Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has suggested that Martial suffers from a lack of determination, so it will be fascinating to see how he performs in the Premier League.

Jon Super/Associated Press

Even with his venerable record, Van Gaal is staking a considerable amount with the signing of Martial. United have let Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez leave, further increasing the pressure on the Frenchman to find the net on a regular basis. Van Gaal has also seen several of his signings fail to meet expectations, particularly Di Maria. His history of success will only carry so much weight with the United board and their fans.

Van Gaal shares an identical win record with Moyes after 50 games, per Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail. After such significant outlays on transfers, United would have hoped for an improvement, and this season may well signal the end of Van Gaal's period of grace. Their performance—some of which will now hinge on Martial—could make or break the Dutchman’s time at Old Trafford.