Manchester United have struggled to get it right in the transfer market for years, including under current manager Erik ten Hag.
Speaking this week, Dutch legend Marco van Basten said he believes Erik ten Hag deserves to stay on as Manchester United manager, but also pointed out his one glaring weakness, mistakes in the transfer market.
Of all the players Ten Hag has signed for Manchester United, one stands out as the best, centre-back Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez was terrific in the FA Cup Final win, and showed what Manchester United had been missing for the most of the season, finally fit again.
Martinez integral to way Manchester United play
Erik ten Hag pointed to the FA Cup Final win as illustration of what his Manchester United team are capable of when enough of his star players are fully fit.
The one who made the big difference was Lisandro Martinez, a £48 million signing from Ajax in 2022.
Martinez is integral to the way Manchester United play in multiple respects. He adds leadership, and he adds aggression to the team’s defending.
His real strength and uniqueness comes with his passing. Martinez is adept at receiving the ball from his goalkeeper and progressing it directly and accurately up the pitch, implementing the style of play Erik ten Hag wants from his team.
United are a better team when he is available. The problem is this season he has struggled to stay fit, suffering three spells out with different injuries, hampering the team.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana was bought to play out from the back, but he has then found his most skilled defender absent for most of the campaign, making his task harder.
It’s fantastic Martinez is now available again, but for how long?
Martinez heads to the Copa America this summer with Argentina and won’t get the rest United will want him too. There is, of course, an added risk of injury aggravation.
Manchester United must find Martinez duplicate
If this past 2023/24 season was a write-off due to injury, Manchester United cannot have that excuse again. It’s time for Ineos to try to injury-proof the squad.
Martinez is a unique player who adds to the team, but United can’t be in a position where another, worryingly inevitable Martinez injury wrecks the 2024/25 season.
While Manchester United need to find a partner for Martinez to replace Raphael Varane, what’s really needed is a duplicate for the Argentine.
United need a centre-back who can play out from the back and break the lines with his passes just like Martinez can. The team cannot be totally reliant on him.
Ineos and the scouting department likely need two centre-backs this summer, with question marks also hovering over Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans‘ futures at the club.
These players will need replacing, but Ineos must look through the lens of ‘what would the team look like without Martinez?’ and sign a player who can get close to producing what he can, because this was the real dilemma United struggled with this past season.