Manchester United have confirmed they've reached an agreement with Ajax for the signing of Lisandro Martinez, with the Argentina international set to become Erik ten Hag's third summer signing. Business started slowly but now the club are starting to catch up with their rivals in terms of signings made and this bodes well for the Dutch manager's debut campaign.
Martinez played under Ten Hag at Ajax and was instrumental in their title win last season, winning the club's Player of the Season award in the process. And now they're set to be reunited at Old Trafford.
United are hardly short of options at centre-back, with the club now desperate to offload some defenders in a bid to trim the squad. So why did Ten Hag decide to make a move for Martinez?
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Well, to begin with, Martinez is adept at playing out from the back. He is able to receive the ball under pressure and play it upfield, either playing into midfield or progressing it himself by breaking the lines.
He is also a tenacious tackler, able to take the game to the opponent and challenge them one vs one. But it's not just his physical attributes that impress Ten Hag, it's also his mentality.
Ten Hag told the club's media: “[The] Premier League is high intensity, lots of challenges. We need such players. I know from South Americans. I call it 'grinta'. Controlled, aggressive. You need that in your game and with him we have such a player.”
'Grinta', an oddly Italian phrase for a Dutchman to use, translates to 'acting with resolve' and is often used by legendary Italian manager Arrigo Sacchi to describe how he wants his players to get stuck in and fight.
His players also needed to be constantly thinking - each movement must have a purpose. Sacchi became famous for his rigid systems where everyone was committed to fighting for the shirt but also clearly knew their role.
United's defence has needed an edge for some time now, and while many will comment on Martinez's height, they are not seeing the full picture. He is an incredibly well-rounded defender and he suits the sort of player Ten Hag is looking for both physically and mentally.
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