Anthony Martial is reportedly set to sign a record-breaking contract with a European club following his departure from Manchester United this summer.
The 28-year-old striker became a free agent after his nine-year tenure at Old Trafford came to an end.
Despite being linked to various clubs, including Brazil’s Flamengo, Martial is now on the verge of joining Greek giants AEK Athens.
According to SPORT24, the French forward is currently finalizing documents for a three-year contract, while Relevo reports that a verbal agreement has already been made.
If the deal goes through, Martial will earn £2.5 million per season, totaling £7.5 million over three years, including bonuses.
This would make it the most lucrative contract in AEK Athens’ history. The three-year guarantee is believed to have been a key factor in Martial’s decision, as similar negotiations with Flamengo reportedly fell through due to contract length disagreements.
Throughout the summer, Martial has maintained his fitness, sharing a photo of himself on an exercise bike and enjoying time with his family.
He also went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, expressing gratitude in an Instagram post: “Thank you Lord for everything.”
AEK Athens is also set to reunite Martial with several familiar faces in European football, including former Tottenham star Erik Lamela, ex-Watford players Roberto Pereyra and Nordin Amrabat, and former Brentford goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.
Currently, Lamela is the club’s top earner, with a contract valued at around €2 million (£1.7 million) per year.
Martial’s move to AEK would mark a significant pay cut from his Manchester United terms, where he was earning £250,000 per week.
AEK Athens had initially hoped to announce the signing during their 2-0 victory over Volos on Monday night, but minor details delayed the official confirmation.
Although AEK narrowly missed out on the Greek league title last season, finishing just two points behind winners PAOK, Martial is poised to contribute to their competitive campaign.
However, there will be no European football for him this season, as AEK was knocked out of the Europa Conference League’s third qualifying round by Armenian side Noah in August.
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