New deal for Martial at United

18 December 2018, 05:42 | Updated: 18 December 2018, 05:44

Manchester United have triggered a one-year extension to Anthony Martial's contract to keep him tied to the club until the summer of 2020.

The 23-year-old's deal was due to expire in the summer but United's option meant there was never a realistic prospect of him leaving the club for nothing.

Last month, United made a similar move to extend goalkeeper David De Gea's commitment to the club for a further 12 months.

After a summer in which he appeared poised to leave the club, Martial has re-established himself in Jose Mourinho's plans and is United's top scorer with eight goals.

Martial was fined a week's wages in August after flying home from United's pre-season tour to attend the birth of his child, and growing tension between the player and Mourinho led to strong speculation he would be sold.

But United were keen to retain a player in whom they invested an initial £36million - potentially rising as high as £58million - when they signed him as a teenager from Monaco in 2015.