Louis Saha: Anthony Martial can become a world class striker at Manchester United

United made 19-year-old Frenchman the most expensive teenager in football history when they signed him from Monaco last week in a staggering deal which could be worth up to £58m.

Martial scored two goals in 15 games in his first season at Monaco and 11 in 42 in all competitions the following year.

But former United and France striker Saha said: "I think he can he get trained to be a killer in front of goal. But he will have to be selfish in a way.

"In France we call him the next Thierry Henry, because he can play left or right, he's got great ability with the ball and can take on three or four players with ease.

"So there is no problem there and, at the same time, he's part of the new generation, who have no fear to take the ball and go forward.

"What I like about him now is that he's capable of running in behind defenders, which is something I want to see in the Manchester United side."

Saha, who scored 42 goals in 124 appearances for United between 2003 and 2008, believes United boss Louis van Gaal is the perfect manager to nurture Martial's talent.

"Van Gaal had a very good track record with young players at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich and that is why I am very confident Martial will succeed," said Saha at Soccerex in Manchester.

"A lot of young players don't specialise on one department in their game. They pretty much want to do everything so that is the challenge for Van Gaal with Martial.

"He needs to work inside his head to work to increase the tactical awareness, so he makes the sort of runs he needs to make to make him a more efficient striker."