Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has recounted how his side managed to Lisandro Martinez in the summer. The former Ajax boss has revealed how his relationship with the Argentina defender influenced his decision to move to Old Trafford having almost joined Arsenal.
Ten Hag spent £225 million in the first phase of his Manchester United rebuild, recruiting as many as six players over the summer. Lisandro Martinez was one such, with the former Ajax defender being signed for £47million (€55million), plus another £8.5million (€10million) in potential add-ons. However, before being bestowed the honor of donning the red shirt and subsequently becoming a fans' favorite, the 24-year-old center-back almost found himself in the camp of United's Premier League rivals Arsenal.
The defender found himself in the middle of a two-way tussle between the Red Devils and their rivals Arsenal. The latter were deemed to have had the upper hand in the race after reaching an agreement in principle with the player while progressing to discuss terms with Ajax. However, a phone call from Martinez to Erik ten Hag apparently flipped the odds in favor of Manchester United.
Asked by Dutch media outlet VI if he found it hard to take Martinez away from Ajax, Ten Hag said: "I had such a great time there, the way we build a project. Out of nowhere we brought Ajax back to European top level. But Martinez himself wanted to leave. If we didn't take him, he would have gone to Arsenal.
"At a certain point, Lisandro Martinez called me up and said: 'Coach, listen, I will leave Ajax no matter what. I can sign for Arsenal, but if you want me, I will go to Manchester United."
The arrival of Martinez at Old Trafford has so far proved to be a shrewd piece of business with the Argentine forming a formidable partnership with Raphael Varane. Together, the pair have been crucial in Man United managing five cleansheets in 14 Premier League outings.
