Since taking over at Manchester United in the summer of 2022, Erik ten Hag has put a heavy focus on signing players from his former club, Ajax.
Over each of the three summers he has been at the helm at Old Trafford, the Dutchman has brought in at least one player he used to manage at the Dutch giants.
In his first summer, he signed Lisandro Martinez and Antony, who cost an eye-watering £81.3m. In 2023, they brought in goalkeeper Andre Onana, before adding defensive pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, who also played under the Dutchman at Ajax.
Have all of these moves gone according to plan? Well, Antony has been a notable dud and Martinez wasn’t received particularly well when he first stepped foot on English shores.
First impressions of Lisandro Martinez
It may seem odd that United’s manager has a strict transfer policy of signing his former players, although there is little argument against him on the face of things, given how successful his side was during his time in Amsterdam.
There was great speculation over a couple of the signings, including Antony, given his extortionate price. However, the player who arguably raised the most question marks was Argentine World Cup winner Martinez.
One of the issues many had about United’s number 6 was his height. Many were unsure if his slender 5 foot 9 frame would mean he’d struggle at centre-back in the Premier League. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher raised this issue on Sky Sports, calling the 26-year-old a “problem” for Ten Hag.
In full, the outspoken pundit noted: ” I’m convinced this can’t work because of the size of him playing in a back four. Maybe he could go left back, maybe he could play in a back three, but in a back four, he cannot play there in the Premier League.”
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
Martinez’s stats for Man United
Despite the criticism the defender has faced, the Argentine has gone on to prove Carragher, and other doubters wrong by his performances in that famous red shirt over the past two seasons.
Despite injury issues that have seen him miss 56 games in his first two seasons at the club, Martinez has proven to be a key part of Ten Hag’s side.
He has now played 64 games for the Red Devils, scoring one goal against Arsenal in 2022/23, and has played an important part in United’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs.
Although he featured just twice in their FA Cup win last term, he was crucial in the final against Manchester City, in which the 13-time winners of the competition ran out 2-1 victors.
A large reason for this was the fact he played alongside Raphael Varane. The duo formed an iconic pair for the Red Devils, despite playing just 33 times with each other. They managed 21 wins as a partnership – the last one being the victory at Wembley – and just five defeats.
Although their time as a pairing was short, it was one that will no doubt live long in the memory of United fans. United captain Bruno Fernandes was certainly a fan of the duo, once explaining they “complement each other very good”.
Now with a new long-term partner in De Ligt, and his injury problems hopefully behind him, Martinez has made a good start to the 2024/25 campaign. According to Sofascore, the South American averages 2.3 interceptions per game, 3.8 ball recoveries and an impressive 94% pass accuracy.
Pass accuracy
94%
Passes completed
60.8
Interceptions
2.3
Tackles
2.3
Ball recoveries
3.8
Clearances
2.5
Ground duels won
2.8
Despite his injury troubles, Martinez has certainly gone a long way to proving Carragher, and his doubters wrong. The Liverpool legend thought he would be an issue for United in defence, but in fact, he has been the opposite; an undroppable player, an integral reason for winning silverware and a man quickly becoming a cult hero at Old Trafford.
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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes
