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Manchester United completed the signing of Lisandro Martinez a year ago today and it is safe to say the Argentine has been a huge hit at Old Trafford.
His £57 million pound move from Ajax was met with skepticism from pundits and rivals who claimed Martinez would struggle to adapt to the Premier League due to his height.
However, ‘Licha’ proved his doubters wrong and enjoyed a fine first season in Manchester.
His tenacious nature coupled with his outstanding ability on the ball gave United a whole new dimension both from an attacking and defensive point of view.
His passing ability from the back gave United the chance to play out from the back with relative ease despite David de Gea’s uncertain moments.
His incisive line-breaking passing helped Erik ten Hag implement his philosophy on the team while his grit and determination in defence helped United improve their defensive record.
Martinez remembered his anniversary with the club on social media, putting up a post on his Instagram story.
The centre-back captioned a photo of him lifting the Carabao Cup with “A year at this incredible club. There are no words to describe how happy I am here. Let’s all go together to fight for our dreams.”
United fans will be delighted to hear how happy the former Ajax star is at the club, with the Argentine already earning a place in their hearts after his first year in Manchester.
It truly was an unforgettable last 12 months for Martinez who won the World Cup with Argentina on top of settling in so well at United.
His partnership with Raphael Varane has been exceptional and a key reason behind United securing a third place finish in the Premier League and ending their six-year wait for a trophy.
Martinez will continue to play a pivotal role in United’s development under Ten Hag, with whom he has an excellent relationship.
The new season gets underway in under three weeks time with United currently approaching the last game of their pre-season tour of the United States against Borussia Dortmund on Monday.