Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has given fans an insight into the kind of player that Lisandro Martinez is ahead of final completion of the centre-back’s move from Ajax.
Manchester United confirmed on Sunday that an agreement is in place with Ajax, with the transfer still subject to medical, and personal conditions, and UK visa requirements.
His starting value is £49m, topped up by a further £9m in add-ons. This means Martinez is the second most expensive defender in the club’s history, ahead of Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka and behind only Harry Maguire.
The Hag was in charge of Ajax when Martinez first moved to Amsterdam in 2019 and has overseen their development over the past few years.
“He’s a warrior and I think the fans will admire him. He has an attitude, a fighting spirit,” the boss told ManUtd.com. “He brings aggression to the game, in a good way. I think we need it. But he’s also handy and can handle the ball and he’s left-handed.”
Argentinian players have been largely popular with United fans in the past. Juan Sebastian Veron, Gabriel Heinze and Carlos Tevez have become cult heroes at Old Trafford, although the latter have remained under a cloud due to the manner of their exits.
Marcos Rojo has been less successful in recent years, while goalkeeper Sergio Romero has enjoyed a decent performance as David de Gea’s reliable backup.
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