How could Manchester United line up with Anthony Martial?

It is a huge price to pay for a 19-year-old who is yet to earn his first international cap – but the most important question is how he might improve United on the pitch.

[STORY: Manchester United announce Anthony Martial signing]

[ANALYSIS: Who is Anthony Martial?]

Martial is a pacy forward who, like Thierry Henry before him at Monaco, has shown flashes of ability through the centre or wide.

Van Gaal has used a settled 4-2-3-1 formation with captain Wayne Rooney as the centre-forward, supported by Memphis Depay and Juan Mata, and then one of Adnan Januzaj, Ander Herrera or Ashley Young.

This is a typical XI from the early stages of the season:

Januzaj has joined Borussia Dortmund on loan, so United’s options in the No. 10 position are set to be weakened.

[STORY: Adnan Januzaj joins Borussia Dortmund on loan]

Ander Herrera played in an advanced role in the defeat to Swansea at the weekend but United could move Memphis Depay in from the left wing and back to the No. 10 position where he started the season against Newcastle.

That would open up a vacancy that could be filled by 19-year-old Martial.

Rooney might have scored a hat-trick against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off but his domestic form has been woeful.

Without a goal since April 4, his display in the defeat to Swansea was insipid and plenty of United fans have grown tired of his performances.

The option is open to Van Gaal to drop his captain and parachute in Martial, but it would be a huge decision with big political ramifications. It is, after all, only a day since Van Gaal revealed how influential Rooney is at Old Trafford.

But if he did get the axe, perhaps this is how United could line up.