Former AS Monaco director Luis Campos is still pretty happy about Anthony Martial’s sale to Manchester United.
In an interview with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo this weekend, the official was asked about which players bring him most pride when thinking about transfers.
Campos explained: “There are cases which are more famous than others, but the signing of Martial from Lyon for €5m when he had just turned 17, and then to sell him after an year and a half, for €80m, ends up being an extremely big case.”
Campos worked at the French side from 2013 until last month, when he left the club to seek a “new adventure”.
He was a manager at several Portuguese clubs, and his first job outside of the pitch was as a scout at Real Madrid, where he worked alongside José Mourinho.
Questioned about any doubts surrounding his Monaco recruitment, Campos said: “Yes, but that’s part of this job. Criticism is something to which I have become accustomed for many years, but I also knew that in time people would understand me and know why these players had gone to the club.
“I understand that at first it causes some confusion when we paid €5m for a kid who had only made 12 or 15 minutes in Lyon’s first team.”
Anthony Martial played 70 games in two seasons for Monaco, scoring 15 goals and making 8 assists. He finished his debut season for Manchester United with an impressive 19 goals and 16 assists, but is still to find the net since José Mourinho’s arrival at the club.
The €80m (around £70m) figure Campos refers to is the full amount should Martial and Manchester United meet all the bonus triggers in the deal.
