The presence of Erik ten Hag at Manchester United played an ‘important role’ in Lisandro Martinez sealing a move to Old Trafford rather than Premier League rivals Arsenal, agent Bas Schothorst tells Voetbal Primeur.
The Argentine’s first goal as a Man United player was typical of the man.
A bandaged, black-eyed Martinez looping a diving header into the Arsenal net before celebrating with a two-footed lunge; you could hardly have scripted a more fitting way for this most instant of cult heroes to open his United account.
Unfortunately for Martinez, that almost Van Persie-esque finish counted for little by the time the full-time blew in the capital. Eddie Nketiah’s dramatic late winner consigning a resurgent Man United to their first Premier League defeat in almost four months.
Arsenal tried to sign Martinez before his £57 million move to the North West last summer, though a first league title in nearly 20 decades would be some consolation.
Manchester United beat Arsenal to Argentina’s World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez
“(Martinez’s departure) was a process of several months. We had contact with various top clubs and, in the end, Ten Hag’s presence at United played an important role,” says Schothorst, one of the World Cup winners’ representatives.
“That makes sense. Ten Hag knows him, has worked with him (at Ajax) and knows what he can do with Martinez. It is of course great to see that this leads to his current achievements.
“On the other hand, Arsenal is also a great club. But you have to make a choice. It is difficult.”
Ten Hag himself admitted in December that Martinez was a ‘priority for Arsenal’ last summer. The Gunners offered £26 and £34 million before being outbid by their old rivals from the north (The Sun).
Arguably Man United’s most complete and popular central defender in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, suggestions that Martinez was simply ‘too small’ for the Premier League have been emphatically disproven. What the 5ft 7ins Martinez lacks in height, he more than makes up for in heart.
That salmon-like leap certainly helps too.
“He has shown that you can go very far with a certain mentality,” Schothorst adds. “He is now even showing that in the Premier League and at the World Cup. Everyone thought; ‘a central defender of 1.78 meters in the Premier League? That is not possible!’
“But he proves that that is nonsense. He more than compensates for (his lack of height) with his attitude.”
Arsenal, meanwhile, have ended their pursuit of a left-footed centre-half, signing Poland international Jakub Kiwior from Spezia.
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