Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam believes that it is possible Erik ten Hag could deploy Ajax ace Lisandro Martinez as a defensive-midfielder, should he seal a move to Old Trafford this summer.
United are actively pursuing Martinez's signature and, as revealed by the Manchester Evening News , lodged a £37million bid for his services last week. Arsenal are also highly interested in signing the 24-year-old and are direct competitors to United for his signature.
The Argentine international, who can play at centre-back, left-back and in defensive-midfield, scooped Ajax's Player of the Year award last season, playing a key role in helping them win their third Eredivisie title of the Ten Hag era. He spent all season playing at centre-back, forming a solid partnership with fellow United target Jurrien Timber.
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His versatility could prove to be a very useful tool for United if they manage to convince Ajax into a sale this summer. And for former Reds centre-back Stam, Martinez has the potential to operate as the defensive-midfielder that United desperately crave.
"You can clearly see that Ten Hag's approach is to dominate matches and control the opponent's half," Stam explained, as quoted by Sport Witness. "Then you play with a lot of space in the back and you need players who are reasonably fast and not afraid to cover. Malacia has that and Martinez certainly.
"Back in the day, defenders in England couldn't be big enough. Two metres was good, also to be able to head away a lot of balls. Now most clubs and coaches want to play football. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to defend.
"There are many fast attackers who are merciless on the counter. Therefore, what's important is that a defender has cleverness. Quickly read where the ball goes, a little nudge or push. Then you don't even have to get into duels. Martinez has also developed that.
"Martinez is very skilled and creative in his passing. The more he has such players, the more Ten Hag can keep the ball and the less he encounters counters. What is also important for this, certainly in the strongest competition in the world, is communication, and therefore who he will be linked to at the heart of the defence.
"And because Martinez is comfortable on the ball, he can also play as a defensive midfielder. I do not rule out the possibility that Ten Hag will use him there."
Despite lodging a £37m bid last week, many reports have indicated that Ajax want closer to £45m to consider letting go of the former Defensa y Justicia ace. Regardless of his value, Stam's admiration for Martinez has only grown.
Stam added: "Whether Martinez is worth €50m (£42.3m), that is difficult to say. This kind of money has become normal. Especially in England.
"I have become a fan of his. I think he's a fantastic guy, with a good temperament and a winning mentality. For trainers, those are great players to work with."
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