Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Anthony Martial and David De Gea Rumours

Louis van Gaal has dubbed the £58 million Manchester United paid for former AS Monaco striker Anthony Marital "ridiculous," according to James Ducker of the Times (subscription required).

While insisting he signed 19-year-old Martial for United's next manager, Van Gaal also appeared to confirm assistant manager Ryan Giggs will succeed him at Old Trafford:

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Whether that turns out to be Ryan Giggs remains to be seen, but Van Gaal also said that he expects his assistant to succeed him at Old Trafford and that he would be satisfied with a top-three finish in the Barclays Premier League this season.

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United fans may not be too impressed by how Van Gaal had judged the club's biggest money move of the summer. His ambition to crack the top three may not go over too well, either.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Yet the idea United recruited Martial with Giggs in mind does have some merit. Recently, Manchester Evening News reporter Stuart Mathieson stated Giggs had scouted Martial "over the past 12 months," before giving the "thumbs up" to sign the young Frenchman.

Van Gaal's words are not only one more reminder of the prevailing notion United wildly overpaid for teenage attacker Martial on transfer deadline day, but they are also an emphasis of the pressure Martial is under to deliver at Old Trafford.

He doesn't just have to make the grade quickly to help the goal-shy Red Devils this season. Van Gaal's United have found the net three times in four matches to begin this Premier League season.

But if Martial does represent a massive investment to help future managers, he's got to become a striker who is prolific for years. Not much pressure then.

FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images

No young player is going to be subject to as much scrutiny as Martial this season. Scoring some early goals represents the only way for him to quiet all the talk.

Super Agent Arrives for David De Gea Deal

United's bid to keep goalkeeper David De Gea for the long haul appears to be gathering momentum. The perceived progress is being sparked by the arrival in Manchester of "super agent" Jorge Mendes, according to Bruce Archer of the Daily Express.

He notes how Mendes is at Carrington for only one thing: "It is understood Mendes is in town to discuss the possibility of a new contract for De Gea."

Jon Super/Associated Press

This story certainly appears to be gathering steam. Prior to Mendes' arrival, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez confirmed he won't make a winter move for the stopper he failed to acquire this summer.

Perez was speaking during an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Cope (h/t Pete Jenson of the Daily Mail). These latest developments are excellent news for United.

The deadline-day collapse of De Gea's proposed return to the Spanish capital initially reflected badly on the Reds. But lost in the ensuing blame game was how United had escaped the summer window still having arguably the best goalkeeper in the world on the books.

Securing De Gea to a fresh, long-term deal would be United's biggest transfer coup in quite some time.

In fact, if De Gea sticks around and Martial makes a fast start to life in England's top flight, the Red Devils will receive a ton of plaudits for the risks they've taken.