Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez was signed by Manchester United ahead of Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according to Erik ten Hag.
In July, Martinez finished a lucrative transfer from Ajax to United, reuniting with Ten Hag in the process. Two months earlier, when the Dutch manager switched Johan Cruijff ArenA for Old Trafford, Martinez was still considering his options.
Ten Hag has now acknowledged that the Argentina international was close to signing with Arsenal when United approached him about a potential transfer.
Erik Ten Hag on Lisandro Martinez transfer
Speaking to Dutch publication Voetbal International, Ten Hag revealed: “Martinez himself wanted to leave Ajax. If we hadn’t taken him, he would have gone to Arsenal. They wanted him anyway, he was top priority there.
“Licha called me at one point: ‘Trainer, listen, I’m leaving Ajax anyway. I can sign with Arsenal, but if you want me, I’m going to Manchester United’. I thought I shouldn’t shoot myself and United in the foot. He really wouldn’t stay in Amsterdam, that was out of the question. Then we struck and it all worked out.”
The centre-back’s 5’9 height raised some concerns when he first arrived the Premier League, but he has developed into a reliable player for the Red Devils. Following his World Cup triumphs with Argentina in Qatar, Martinez is now determined to win a trophy with United in his first season.
Martinez and his club teammates at United are back in action on Wednesday night when they take on Burnley in the League Cup as he continues to celebrate Argentina’s World Cup victory in his native country.
