Erik Ten Hag insisted that his new club Manchester United did everything in their power to secure the signature of Ajax’s Argentinean defender Lisandro Martinez – and the club duly obliged. The classy 24-year-old centre-back will switch Amsterdam for Manchester!A look at Lisandro Martinez in action 🔥🔴 🎥: @ArsenaIComps 🤝 pic.twitter.com/suFkBTF1Hq— United Zone (@ManUnitedZone_) July 17, 2022 United will pay a fee of $55.5 million that could rise to $65.5 million for Martinez. The Argentine will sign a five-year contract, plus an extra optional year. The club say the deal is still subject to a medical, a UK work permit for Lisandro, but an announcement was required so Ajax could deliver the legally required transaction details to the Amsterdam stock exchange.So, who are United getting? Ten Hag wanted Martinez, having coached him for three years at Ajax. Martinez won two titles and the Dutch cup with Ajax.Although he is untypically short for a central defender, standing at 175 centimetres, his impeccable timing and positioning, combined with the ability to leap high, make the Argentine a fantastic defender – and Lord knows Manchester United are desperate for a bit of solidity at the back. The left-footed can play either in the middle of the backline or on the left. His distribution is excellent, making him somewhat of a playmaker among defenders.##NAJAVA_MECA_6508219##But Martinez is also not afraid to mix in some of the rough stuff, leading to his team-mates dubbing him ‘The Butcher of Amsterdam’ – a nickname he admits to having mixed feelings about. But he likes another nickname he got from the fans at Johan Cruyff Arena – ‘The Pitbull’.This signing represents something of a coup for Manchester United, given that their Premier League rivals Arsenal also had a strong interest in signing the defender, who moved to Ajax from Defensa y Justicia in 2019.Lisandro Martínez is not your everyday centre-back 🪄(via @AFCAjax)pic.twitter.com/G5hxHNyk6v— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 17, 2022 Martinez is said to have told the Eredivisie champions that the only option he would consider this summer is a move to the Premier League. When Ajax extended his contract last October, there was an understanding that they would not stand in his way if such an opportunity arose.The second most expensive Manchester United defender (second only to Harry Maguire) played 36 times for Ajax last season. He has made seven appearances for Argentina and was part of the squad that won the Copa America in 2019.
