Football agent Mino Raiola has revealed thathe was certain both Anthony Martial and Memphis Depay would fail at Manchester United.
Depay was signed after scoring 22 Eredivisie goals in 30 appearances for PSV during the 2014-15, but has scored just two Premier League goals since joining the Old Trafford side.
Martial joined during the same transfer window and has settled in quicker at the club, scoring 11 league goals during his first season with the club.
Speaking to theFinancial Times, Raiola, who represents the likes of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Mario Balotelli, claimed he knew the two prospects wouldn't perform to United's high standards during the early stages of their careers.
Not if you have to perform now,� Raiola revealed.
Martial and Depay come in and say, ˜We have to carry Manchester United, a giant institute?' So already last year I told the people at United, ˜You'll have to put in a guy like Zlatan to restore the balance.' Then the attention goes to Zlatan. He has the experience, and dares take the responsibility."
Raiola, who helped broker the deals which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba join Manchester United, also revealed he spent two years working on the deal to take Pogba to Old Trafford.
Look, Pogba could have gone to all the top clubs. But Real Madrid had just won the Champions League. He'd have been a trophy player there," Raiola claimed.
"Barcelona ” their three trophies are Messi, Neymar and Suarez. What you see is the final result of years of sculpting. I spent two years working on Manchester United's deal with Paul.�