​Ligue 1 club Monaco's vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has disclosed that the French club decided to sell star winger Anthony Martial to Manchester United only to meet the FIFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) requirements.





Manchester United signed Martial in 2015 on the summer transfer deadline day in a deal that would rise up to €80m including bonuses that the French club is eligible for as per the contract with United.





In the recent summer transfer window, Monaco sold quite a few players but they chose not to sell Thomas Lemar to either Liverpool or Arsenal because they didn't feel the need to do so as they weren't under any financial obligation as per the FFP regulations.





Monaco sold Martial to meet FFP rules but did not need to with Lemar, says Vasilyev | Soccer https://t.co/1FWWGFG9NZ pic.twitter.com/KW0gegaNte — FFS (@fahimdhaka2010) September 10, 2017





Vasilyev told ​L'Equipe, "In 2015 we had to sell in order to meet FFP conditions, so it was more of an obligation (to sell Lemar). We are, currently, financially safe and sound. You sell when you think it’s the right time. You’ve got to accept the risk (to then sell someone at a lower price the next time round) and it’s by taking risks that we have got here.”





The Monaco chief also reiterated that Monaco would not be known as a selling club as they now intend build a sporting model with a proper mix of sport and business. He said, "My dream has always been to develop the model, in both an economic and sporting sense, as far as possible. I’d said that a few years ago with Forbes magazine; I see that it is a possibility.”





The French champions will have an uphill task if they are to retain their Ligue 1 crown as PSG are favorites to land the domestic crown as well as one of the favorites for the UEFA Champions League this season.