Manchester United have finally confirmed – another centre-back is coming to Old Trafford! It is Lisandro Martinez, Ajax defender who has been linked with the Red Devils ever since Erik ten Hag was announced as the new manager. The Dutchman was always going to be linked with the players he has worked with, but in Martinez he obviously believed he could be getting a great solution for United’s problems. Man United have confirmed that the agreement with the player and Ajax have been found and Fabrizio Romano is bringing the latest details of the transfer.
According to the famous Italian journalist and football transfers expert, Martinez is signing a five-year deal with the Devils, until June 2027, with an option for a further season. Official fee is 55 million pounds, or 57 million euros, but with the 10 million euros as bonuses and add-ons. This is a much higher fee than what was at first mentioned in the English media, when Martinez was long ago linked with a move to Arsenal. Back then, 30 million euros were in the picture, but Ajax refused that. With United entering the picture, it became obvious Old Trafford was the only possible destination for the 24-year-old Argentine. However, Ajax managed to reject initial offers and test United’s resolve to sign the targeted player. In the end, the Dutch champions got themselves a great fee with which they will be able to do plenty.
But what did United get in signing Lisandro Martinez?
Lisandro Martiney was the best ball-playing centre-back in the Dutch Eredivisie last season and that is something we can all easily agree on. He is a perfect type of a centre-back for a team which plans to heavily rely on being dominant on the ball and offensive in their style. At Ajax, he has proven himself as a incredibly useful player in creating attacking moves for the team. He is comfortable on the ball and is able to beat the initial press. His dribbling numbers were really high for a defender and that shows his ability to play with the ball. He can pass the ball in all kinds of situations, he can break the lines from the back and be efficient with choosing the right time to carry the ball up the pitch.
In the Premier League it will not be as easy to do those things as it was for him in the Eredivisie, but he has the right tools to be a really interesting player for United. Another important thing about Martinez is that he is tall just 5’9. Despite that fact, he is still dominant in the air – he can jump high and, more importantly, he has a good sense of when to jump and get himself in the best possible position. Despite being a short centre-back, his fighting spirit is something that United fans will enjoy about him. He could struggle at first in the Premier League, against tougher oppositions and fast-paced strikers, but with him knowing what Ten Hag will want to get out of him, Martinez’s adaptation to the strongest league in the world could take less time.
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