Erik ten Hag lining up two ‘surprise’ role for Lisandro Martínez at Manchester United

Erik ten Hag is reportedly lining up a surprise new role for Lisandro Martínez as the Copa America winner returns to Manchester United for his third season.

Lisandro Martínez signed for Manchester United for a fee of around £47 million from Ajax in the summer of 2022 – the same season that Erik ten Hag also made the move from Amsterdam to Manchester.

Although he originally drew criticism for his performances, Martínez quickly established himself as one of the Premier League‘s best central defenders despite standing at 5 foot 9 inches in a position where players are generally 6 feet or taller.

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However, Martínez has since suffered a series of long-term impact injuries, which meant that across 2023/24, he only made 14 appearances. Crucially, he was fit and available for the FA Cup final, where his performances led to the club lifting the trophy over Manchester City.

Martínez is so vital to Ten Hag as he is the only left-footed central defender in the squad, and his unique passing ability means he can create fantastic progression angles to add a fresh dynamic to the attack.

However, according to GiveMeSport, the Dutchman is planning on taking Martínez’s left-foot ability a surprising step further by using him as an auxiliary left-back if needed.

Despite the club having two first-team left-backs in Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, last season proved that neither player can be reliable. Both suffered long-term injuries across the campaign, meaning the club needs consistency.

This meant that Diogo Dalot had to cover at left-back on many occasions, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka occupying the Portugal international’s usual right-back space.

The article also notes that Martínez may be used as a backup midfield “enforcer” if a new midfielder is not signed this summer. Martínez is known for being an incredibly flexible player, meaning he has the talent to take up a number of positions if needed.

Although Martínez is expected to play a crucial part in the heart of United’s defence alongside Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and potentially Matthijs de Ligt next season, it is a real possibility that he could play a number of positions.

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