Lisandro Martinez is now the most expensive Argentine defender in history. Manchester United have announced the centre-back’s arrival for a total sum worth €64 million. He becomes the third new arrival for Erik Ten Hag this summer after Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.
The reunion with Erik Ten Hag was one of the driving forces in him making his decision. The manager was pushing to bring his former Ajax colleague to Old Trafford. And despite interest from Arsenal, the player personally chose to move to United.
Lisandro Martinez: Will he be a success at Man Utd?
In the past, the 24-year-old has been held back by his height. He was transferred from Newell’s Old Boys to Defensa y Justicia for this very reason. But then, he earned a move to Ajax for €7 million in 2019 and has since been on the up.
He has earned seven caps for the Argentina national team, and with a move to Manchester United, he could be a starting defender for Lionel Scaloni alongside Cristian Romero.
Standing at 1.75 metres tall, Lisandro Martinez will be a versatile option for Erik Ten Hag. He can play not only as a central defender but also as a defensive midfielder. The Premier League is among the fastest and most physical leagues in the world. And having the height advantage as a central defender certainly helps.
But, we also see consistently that physical traits aren’t everything. And Martinez will have to leverage his other qualities alongside his mental awareness to become a mainstay at Old Trafford.
