Lisandro Martinez’s highlights since joining Man Utd show why Ten Hag was so keen to sign him
Lisandro Martinez’s £51.63 million switch from Ajax to Manchester United back in July generated plenty of discussion on social media – with much of it centred on the Argentine international’s height.
Standing just five foot and nine inches tall, the 24-year-old officially became the shortest centre-back in the Premier League after completing his switch to Old Trafford.
That statistic inevitably led to questions over whether Martinez would be able to handle himself in the notoriously physical English-top flight – home to some of the most physically-imposing strikers on the planet.
One man who was not concerned, though, was newly appointed United boss Erik ten Hag.
Having worked with Martinez for three seasons at Ajax – winning two Eredivisie titles – Ten Hag appeared to have full confidence that the 24-year-old would adapt quickly to the demands of the Premier League.
After enduring a rough time along with the rest of his new teammates in defeats Brighton and Brentford, Martinez rebounded in style, becoming one of United’s top performers so far this season.
The Old Trafford faithful have quickly taken Martinez to their hearts, too. The man celebrates every block, interception and clearance like it’s a goal, something that fans love to see.
Since he teamed up with Raphael Varane, the heart of the Red Devils’ defence looks stronger than it has in years, leaving the future of club captain Harry Maguire looking very bleak indeed.
However, while Martinez’s defensive work has been impressive, his distribution of the ball has also caught the eye.
Supremely confident with the ball at his feet and able to pick a pass with a sense of ease, Martinez has become a major asset to United in an attacking sense and looks set to be a firm favourite at the ‘Theatre of Dreams ‘ for a long time to come.
Illustrating how well he has settled in Manchester, a compilation of Martinez’s highlights since his arrival at the club has recently gone viral on Twitter. You can check it out here.
Video: Lisandro Martinez’s Man Utd highlights from the 2022/23 season so prove he was an inspired signing by Ten Hag
— Footy2206 (@footy66) September 20, 2022
Over the last few seasons, United fans have often been vocal about their discontent with the club’s transfer activity.
When it comes to Martinez, however, there’s no sign of any complaints as supporters lavished praise on their newest centre-back in the comments section.
Let’s check out some of their reaction below.
For a player who is only six games into his Premier League career, it may be a little early to start christening Martinez as the best central defender in the division as United fans have done above, but he has certainly made a strong first impression.
Equipping himself well in victories over the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, Martinez already has the look of a player with several years of Premier League experience under his belt.
If he can maintain his current level of form, the enthusiasm of United supporters could well prove entirely justified.
