Despite many writing him off due to his height, Lisandro Martinez has proven himself as one of the best young defenders on the planet.
On July 27, the Argentinian officially completed his move to Manchester United for £55 million. And to the delight of fans, the player has dedicated the next five years of his life to the club.
As per The Mirror, he said: “It’s an honour to join this great football club. I’ve worked so hard to get to this moment, and now that I’m here, I’m going to push myself even further. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of successful teams in my career.
“That’s what I want to continue at Manchester United. There will be a lot of work to get to that moment, but I firmly believe that, under this manager and coaches, and together with my new teammates, we can do it.”
Since arriving at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag has made it his mission to bring United back to their brilliant best. And what better way to do that than to bring in players he already knows are up to the job.
Martinez won two Eredivisie titles under the Dutchman’s guidance, and now he’s looking for Premier League success. However, some opposing fans have already written him off from making a name for himself in England.
Lisandro Martinez is out to prove that his height doesn’t matter
The 24-year-old only stands at only 5 ft 9, but it’s never held him back. Regardless of stature, he has the skill to play in various positions and has the composure on the ball of a player way beyond his years.
In addition, he received the Ajax player of the year award in the 2021-22 season. Therefore, the defender undeniably possesses the mindset that United so greatly requires.
During his stint at Ajax, he proved the haters wrong, and he discussed it in the goodbye video the club made for him.
Martinez said: “Some people doubt me because of my length. But that was something which gave me even more motivation. To say ‘fine then, if you don’t believe in me.’ But I know that I’m capable to do it, and that was enough for me.”
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