Anthony Martial set to join Monterrey pending medical after AEK grant travel permission
Agreement reported with Mexican side as Pumas reportedly failed to match the forward’s wage demands
Anthony Martial has agreed terms to join Mexican club Monterrey and has been given permission by AEK Athens to travel to Mexico for a medical, transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday.
The move, which remains subject to a successful medical and formal clearance, follows a period of limited playing time for the France international at AEK. Martial, who left Manchester United when his contract expired at the end of the 2023-24 season and signed for AEK on a free transfer, has made 24 appearances for the Greek club in all competitions and was omitted from six successive matchday squads ahead of the reported transfer.
Montgomery- and Mexico-based reports, echoed by Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo, said Liga MX side Pumas pursued Martial during the summer but were unable to reach an agreement because the forward would not reduce his salary demands. AEK was reportedly prepared to loan Martial to Pumas on terms that would require only the Mexican club to pay his wages, but Merlo said negotiations stalled over the size of the striker’s contract demands. It is not yet known what salary Martial will receive at Monterrey if the transfer is completed.
The 29-year-old forward moved to Manchester United in 2015 for an initial fee reported at £36 million that could rise to about £58 million in add-ons. After leaving Old Trafford in mid-2024, his contract with AEK was said at the time to be among the most lucrative in the Greek club’s history.
If completed, the transfer would reunite Martial with Monterrey teammate Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid and Spain defender who signed for the Mexican club seven months earlier. Ramos has helped steer Monterrey to the top of the Liga MX standings after seven matches, with six victories and one defeat, while Pumas sat 10th with two wins, three draws and two losses at the same stage of the season.
Monterrey, commonly known as Rayados, have invested in several high-profile signings in recent seasons as they aim to combine domestic success with deeper runs in continental competitions. The club has not confirmed terms publicly and AEK and Martial’s representatives had not issued statements at the time of Romano’s report.
AEK’s reported willingness to permit Martial to travel for a medical indicates the Greek club is ready to facilitate a transfer, though agents, fee structures and registration windows will determine when the move can be finalized. A successful medical is the immediate remaining condition before paperwork and registration in Mexico can be completed.
Martial’s career has included spells in Ligue 1 with Lyon and Monaco before his move to Manchester United, where he spent eight seasons. His time since leaving Old Trafford has been marked by infrequent appearances and periodic absence from matchday squads, which has fueled speculation about a second move abroad.
Should the Monterrey deal be completed, the club will add an experienced European forward to its roster ahead of the remainder of the Liga MX season. Further confirmation is expected if and when the club, player or AEK issue formal announcements and the medical is concluded.