Lisandro Martinez likes to tell the story of a crucial turning point in his career. He was only just into his teens, and, by his own admission, had wayward tendencies, a blurred focus on what should be his priorities.
He was a talented young footballer but uncertain about dedicating himself to that pathway if it meant taking him too far from home.
So his family helped set him up with casual work, on a building site in his home town of Gualeguay, Argentina. He turned up for his first day – a long time after the scheduled 6am start. A lesson had been served, as intended.
“My father said to me, ‘Can’t you see this isn’t for you?’ Get yourself together and go to Rosario’,” Martinez said in an interview with Efe. “I’ll never forget that.”
In Rosario, there was an apprenticeship with Newell’s Old Boys, a storied club, waiting for him. He left Gualeguay to take it up, bearing the homesickness, obliged to become suddenly independent, and embarking on a successful journey that has docked at Manchester United.
The would-be bricklayer of a decade or so ago is now occasionally known as 'The Butcher', a nickname he tends to smile about, not quite recalling who, at Ajax – the club he has just left for more than €50 million to join United – first dubbed him that.
He understands why they might have done so. Martinez is a tough, uncompromising defender, although it would be misguided to portray him as reckless.
He served a single, one-game suspension across his three seasons in Amsterdam and counts back four-and-a-half years to his one senior red card, in the colours of Defensa y Justicia, the Buenos Aires club he joined from Newell’s and from where Ajax scouted him and signed him as a 21-year-old.
His chief guide since has been Erik ten Hag, the United manager whose enthusiasm for footballers with the same Ajax past as himself is a feature of his first transfer window in his new daunting job.
Martinez developed impressively in the Dutch Eredivisie, and in the Champions League, where his duels with Erling Haaland, in Ajax’s thumping 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in last season’s group phase were among the performances that caught the eye.
At Ajax, he was given a hard act to follow in that he arrived in the Netherlands in the same 2019 summer that Matthijs de Ligt, the Amsterdam club’s prodigious young centre-back had been sold to Juventus.
If De Ligt’s career path is any indication about how far, and indeed how fast, an imposing young defender can progress from the Ajax launch pad, then United and Martinez should be encouraged.
De Ligt was on Monday putting the final touches to his transfer to Bayern Munich, for a sum that could rise to €80m. That would take his total career transfer fees to more than €155m. De Ligt turns 23 next month.
Martinez is a year older, and more wiry of frame. And, notably, he is shorter of stature. At 1.75m, he is no supersized centre-half.
But he has a strong leap, has worked hard on his aerial game and for all the reputation for tough tackling, is an elegant, confident user of the ball, valued by Ten Hag for his precise, confident passing, particularly with his left foot. He is also versatile, capable of operating commandingly at the base of midfield, or at full-back.
Manchester United 2021/22 season ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED SEASON RATINGS: David de Gea - 8. A candidate for the club’s player of the year, the Spaniard is United’s undisputed number one and the dips in form which allowed Dean Henderson to challenge him have gone. Spoke out far more this season, as he should have done given his status as a senior member. He’s now 11th in United’s all-time appearance chart with 487. He’d prefer a team trophy to any such plaudits, but his side conceded far too many goals, but that was down to the players in front of him rather than the Madrileno who played far more minutes than any of his teammates. EPA -
Dean Henderson - 5. A threat to De Gea’s position during lockdown, Henderson did at least push the Spaniard into getting his act together again. Contracting Covid before the season commenced set him back and he could never get a chance and started only three games all season. As he showed in the previous season, he’s a very good goalkeeper who deserves to be playing regularly. He’s also likely to attract a bigger fee than any other United player this summer. EPA -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 3. A complete regression for the right-back who has got worse in each of his three seasons at Old Trafford . Played every single minute of the first 13 league games of the season, when the low point was leaving his man to try and retrieve the ball before Liverpool’s opener. Tackles well but doesn’t offer enough going forward, his crossing is poor and and so is positioning at the other end. His last three appearances saw United lose all three, scoring no goals and conceding nine. We understand he wants to stay at Old Trafford and is contracted until 2024, but his new boss’ view of him will be the most important one. EPA -
Phil Jones - 4. Thankfully, he’s back after a horrendous run of injuries. Thankfully, showed he’s still capable of playing Premier League football. The support he received playing against Wolves at Old Trafford contrasted sharply with the previous abuse he suffered. Jones is not United’s future and would be better off playing regularly elsewhere. AP -
Harry Maguire - 4. His worst season as a United player and in professional football. United’s captain had been a key squad member until an injury in May 2020. Like many who played in Euro 2020, he struggled at the start of the season and was rushed back for Leicester away, but unlike others he kept his place. Unfairly became a figure of mockery when even his good performances were overlooked. Defends well and in the eight games he missed United only won once, but with his confidence hit he made too many errors and looked less secure the further forward he went. He’s determined to stay captain and get back to where he was. Plenty of United fans will back him to do so, as will his new manager. PA -
Raphael Varane - 5. Such high hopes when he signed from Real Madrid, but such an underwhelming season followed for him. Varane is a world-class defender and he showed that against Atletico. With a proper pre-season behind him, something he didn’t have last term, he hopes to prove it to United fans. And even when he missed far too many games, he still won a higher percentage of duels than any defender apart from Virgil van Dijk. Awful in the 0-4 defeat at Brighton as the home side cut through United time and again. EPA -
Victor Lindelof - 4. Should be in the prime of his career, but he is another with a poor season to his name. His performance at right back away to Atletico was painful to watch. Did well in the opening two games when Varane’s signing was considered imminent, then lost his place to the Frenchman but won it back since Varane was too often injured. Catching Covid didn’t help, nor three managers and the ever-shifting defensive selections. Known as the Ice Man at Benfica, he melted in key moments this season, though it wasn’t just his fault because there was too much space around him to be exploited. He’s well rated at Carrington, let’s see what his new boss thinks of him. AFP -
Eric Bailly - 3. Central defender who doesn’t play enough games and has never played enough games. Capable of the sublime and the ridiculous in the same match. Excellent at Chelsea away, but that’s nowhere near sufficient – yet he still had his contract renewed in 2021. EPA -
Luke Shaw - 4. Another defender who regressed – they all did. Shaw, 26, had his Euro 2020 hangover but started in 11 of the 12 opening league games. Tangling with Maguire before Liverpool went 2-0 up after 13 minutes was a low point. His side was 4-0 down at half time for the first time in 31 years. United’s defence conceded 57 goals – four more than relegated Burnley. AP -
Alex Telles - 5. The Brazilian, 29, got the opportunities after Solskjaer departed and didn’t start in a game United lost until Man City away in March, but in the biggest game at home to Atletico, he turned into his man and lost possession before the ball came in for Atletico’s opener from his side, as it had for their disallowed goal. Suspect when defending, capable of the best crosses at the club and a decent assists too but doesn’t look like a top class full-back. Getty -
Diogo Dalot - 6. Got the chances he’d hoped for after a successful season on loan at Milan. Best game was his first league start of the season at home to Arsenal when he pushed right up and got right back. Before that, he’d been blitzed by Villarreal’s Danjuma at Old Trafford. Steadied himself defensively but still too erratic for his position and didn’t find consistency. It wasn’t easy in a failing, flailing, team. EPA -
Fred - 7. One of the few who had a better than mediocre season. Moved around, broke up play, energetic. Replicated a famous move by Real Madrid player Redondo at Old Trafford in a bright United start against Atletico and scored four times – important goals too - in the league. Reuters -
Scott McTominay - 5. All heart, passion and commitment which too few of those around him showed, but lacks the technical level and often found himself up against better players: Koke, De Bruyne, Rodri, Keita, Henderson et al. Getty -
Jadon Sancho - 5. Overall, a disappointing first season after his vast transfer from Dortmund. One of the few players who improved under Rangnick, at least for a few months after Christmas, and his super curling shot against his former club Manchester City for the equaliser was about the only bright moment in another derby hammering. Five goals was a poor return, too. AFP -
Nemanja Matic - 5. United’s best player in the worst game of the season, a 4-0 defeat at Brighton. Which would be of zero consolation to him. Played a lot towards the end of the season and brought balance to the side, but was seldom good for the full 90. Left the club of his own accord at the end of the season. Good luck. EPA -
Bruno Fernandes - 5. Often frustrated, too often argumentative – and less productive, despite being United’s second top scorer with 10 (and 13 assists). Took United’s 100th corner of the season in January – they’d resulted in zero goals. He signed a huge new contract, not that he’s not been playing well enough to convince fans he deserved it. Could and should be central to United’s rebuild, but needs to reach far better levels. PA -
Paul Pogba - 4. Another disappointment and one 95 per cent of fans in one poll would be happy to see go. Started the season well and made seven of his nine assists in the opening four games, then faded like his team and lost his place in the side before being out injured with hamstring issues. He started only 16 league games. Brilliant for France, he scored a pitiful one goal. At 29, he should be at his peak. United fans don’t see that and, out of contract, he looks set to leave on a free transfer for the second time. Getty -
Anthony Elanga - 7. Immediately picked out by Rangnick, enjoyed his first league start of the season and he started it well on the left, stretching Villa. Enjoyed a promising start among fans and his equaliser at Atletico was one of the few season highs (not scoring in the cup against Middlesbrough was his low), but by Brighton away he was a spent force who’d faded. Getty -
Mason Greenwood - 6. Pass. Reuters -
Edinson Cavani - 3. A terrible second season compared to his first, where he finished strongly. The Uruguayan, 35, was in the starting XI for just 18 per cent of United’s games and scored only two goals. Whether it was his groin, calf, tendon, quarantine or an unspecified ‘knock’, he was unfit to play far too often. That annoyed his teammates. Can you blame them? PA -
Marcus Rashford - 3. His worst season in red as he started only a third of United’s games – but the previous season was hardly convincing either and his stock has plummeted among fans. Five goals and two assists was a poor return. Recovering from a shoulder injury hadn’t helped and nor did the players around him, but he has to get his form back or his future will be away from Old Trafford. Intends to concentrate on his football next season. Good. AFP -
Cristiano Ronaldo - 8. By a distance the top scorer with 24 goals across all competitions, including 18 in the league, the 37-year-old still has impressive stats. He smashed through the 800-goal mark for clubs and country in December and provided most of the best moments of United’s season, scoring in the first five Champions League group games, but not against Atletico in the last 16 when it mattered. Home hat-tricks against Spurs and Norwich lifted the Old Trafford gloom. PA -
Juan Mata - 5. The Spaniard was desperate to play more football. Didn’t play a minute in any league game until April but got more minutes towards the end of the season and was effective exploiting pockets of space in his first start against Brentford, less so against Brighton in the following game. Out of contract. Hard to see him staying and he was the last player on the pitch as he waved goodbye to fans at Selhurst Park. EPA -
Jesse Lingard - 3. Awful season for him on and off the pitch. Felt he was promised more minutes which didn’t arrive. Wanted to go on loan in January to replicate his loan at West Ham in 201 – and then he didn’t. Out of contract and not leaving quietly. Fans not sad to see him go. PA
His initial challenge at United will be to find a role in a squad which, in the past two summers, has acquired other expensive centre-halves, Harry Maguire and Rafael Varane. For all Maguire’s mixed form in 2021/22, that pair would regard themselves as first choices ahead of the new campaign.
“He has to adapt to a new country, a new club, new teammates,” said Ten Hag on Monday, welcoming a player he has pushed hard to bring to United, beating off interest from Arsenal, among others. “A lot of things will be different for him. The Premier League is high intensity, with lots of challenges.”
The strong, established relationship with the manager, would, reckoned Ten Hag, be “an advantage. He knows certain ideas”.
“He’s a warrior. He has an attitude, fighting spirit,” added Ten Hag, who will link up with Martinez when he and most of the squad return to England after their summer tour to Australia, where they play Crystal Palace on Tuesday and then Aston Villa at the weekend.
“He brings aggressiveness into the game – in a good way. I think we need that. But he’s also skilful and he can deal with the ball. I think the fans will admire him.”
100 notable summer transfers
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Perr Schuurs - Ajax to Torino (£8m). AFP -
Paco Alcacer - Villarreal to Sharjah (loan). Getty Images -
Matheus Nunes - Sporting to Wolves (£38m). AFP -
Tanguy Nianzou - Bayern Munich to Sevilla (£16.9m). AFP -
Alan Virginius - Sochaux to Lille (£3.8m). AFP -
Thilo Kehrer - PSG to West Ham (£10.1m). Getty Images -
Pervis Estupinan - Villarreal to Brighton (£15.1m). Getty Images -
Destiny Udogie - Udinese to Tottenham (£15.1m). Loaned back to Udinese. Reuters -
Sergio Gomez - Anderlecht to Manchester City (£11m). Photo: Manchester City -
Alex Collado - Barcelona to Elche (loan). AFP -
Remo Freuler - Atalanta to Nottingham Forest (£9m). AP -
Marc Bartra - Real Betis to Tranbzonspor (undisclosed fee). Getty Images -
Giovani Lo Celso - Tottenham to Villarreal (loan). Getty Images -
Cheikhou Kouyate - Crystal Palace to Nottingham Forest (free). Getty Images -
Emmanuel Dennis - Watford to Nottingham Forest (£20m). Getty Images -
Nico González - Barcelona to Valencia (loan). AP Photo -
Luca Pellegrini - Juventus to Eintracht Frankfurt (loan). AFP -
Daniel Wass - Atletico Madrid to Brondby (£1.7m). EPA -
Pablo Marí - Arsenal to Monza (loan). AP -
Dries Mertens - Napoli to Galatasaray (free). AFP -
Jordan Veretout - Roma to Marseille (£9.3m). Reuters -
Christian Benteke - Crystal Palace to DC United (undisclosed fee). AFP -
Maxwell Cornet - West Ham United to Burnley (£17.5m). PA -
Georginio Wijnaldum - PSG to Roma (loan). AFP -
Lucas Torreira - Arsenal to Galatasaray (£5m). AFP -
Marc Cucurella - Brighton to Chelsea (£55m). Getty Images -
Ademola Lookman - RB Leipzig to Atalanta (£12.6m). PA via AP -
Renato Sanches - Lille to Paris Saint-Germain (£12.6m). AFP -
Riqui Puig - Barcelona to LA Galaxy (free). AP Photo -
Alex Telles - Manchester United to Sevilla (loan). AFP -
Carney Chukwuemeka - Aston Villa to Chelsea (£20m). Reuters -
Kasper Schmeichel - Leicester City to Nice (£1m). AFP -
Mattia Viti - Empoli to Nice (£10.9m). AFP -
Gabriel Slonina - Chicago Fire to Chelsea (£8.3m). Reuters -
Bernd Leno - Arsenal to Fulham (£3m). AFP -
Charles De Ketelaere - Club Brugge to AC Milan (£26.8m). AFP -
Joe Rodon - Tottenham to Stade Rennais (loan). AFP -
Borja Mayoral - Real Madrid to Getafe (£8.4m). EPA -
Cesc Fabregas - Monaco to Como (free). EPA -
Alexis Beka Beaka - Lokomotiv Moscow to Nice (£11.7m). AFP -
Marcus Tavernier -Middlesbrough to Bournemouth (£10m). Getty Images -
Aaron Ramsey - Juventus to Nice (free). AFP -
Orel Mangala - Stuttgart to Nottingham Forest (£12.7m). AFP -
David Raum - Hoffenheim to RB Leipzig (£21.8m). Getty Images -
Oscar Mingueza - Barcelona to Celta Vigo (£2.5m). Getty Images -
Jules Kounde - Sevilla to Barcelona (£45m). AFP -
Dwight McNeil - Burnley to Everton (£20m). Getty Images -
Arnaud Kalimuendo - PSG to Rennes (£21m). Getty Images -
Filip Kostic - Eintracht Frankfurt to Juventus (£14.4m). EPA -
Salvatore Sirigu - Genoa to Napoli (free). Reuters -
Mikkel Damsgaard - Sampdoria to Brentford (£12.7m). EPA -
Malang Sarr - Chelsea to Monaco (loan). AFP -
Issa Diop - West Ham United to Fulham (£15m). Getty Images -
Alexis Sanchez - Internazionale to Marseille (free). Getty Images -
Timo Werner - Chelsea to RB Leipzig (£18m). AP -
Amadou Onana - Llle to Everton (£33.8m). AFP -
Emirhan Ilkhan - Besiktas to Torino (£3.8m). PA -
Gonçalo Guedes - Valencia to Wolves (£27.5m). AP Photo -
Conor Coady - Wolves to Everton (loan). Getty Images -
Anthony Modeste - Cologne to Borussia Dortmund (£3.8m). EPA -
Angeliño - RB Leipzig to Hoffenheim (loan). Getty Images -
Marcos Senesi - Feyenoord to Bournemouth (£12.6m). AFP -
Isco - Real Madrid to Sevilla (free). EPA -
Raheem Sterling - Manchester City to Chelsea (£50m). Getty Images -
Lisandro Martinez - Ajax to Manchester United (£46m). Getty Images -
Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich to Barcelona (£38.3m). AFP -
Hugo Ekitike - Reims to Paris Saint-Germain (loan). AFP -
Thomas Henry - Venezia to Verona (£3.8m). Getty Images -
Takefusa Kubo - Real Madrid to Real Sociedad (£5.2m). Getty Images -
Kalidou Koulibaly - Napoli to Chelsea (£33.8m). EPA -
Chancel Mbemba - Porto to Marseille (free). EPA -
Breel Embolo - Borussa Monchengladbach to Monaco (£10.6m). EPA -
Christian Eriksen - Brentford to Manchester United (free). PA -
Raphinha - Leeds United to Barcelona (£49m). Getty Images -
Federico Bernardeschi - Juventus to Toronto FC (free). Getty Images -
Andrea Cambiaso - Genoa to Juventus (£5.9m). Getty Images -
Arturo Vidal - Inter Milan to Flamengo (free). Getty Images -
Mohamed Bayo - Clermont to Lille (£11.8m). AFP -
Francisco Trincao - Barcelona to Sporting (loan). Getty Images -
Samu Castillejo - AC Milan to Valencia (undisclosed fee). PA -
Lewis Ferguson - Aberdeen to Bologna (£3m). PA -
Keane Lewis-Potter - Hull City to Brentford (£16m). PA -
Alessio Romagnoli - AC Milan to Lazio (free). Getty Images -
Nathan Collins - Burnley to Wolves (£20.5m). PA -
Andriy Yarmolenko - West Ham United to Al Ain (free). AP Photo -
David Ospina - Napoli to Al Nassr (free). Getty Images -
Kristian Thorstvedt - Genk to Sassuolo (£8.4m). Reuters -
Andreas Pereira -Manchester United to Fulham ( £10m). Getty Images -
Gabriel Jesus - Manchester City to Arsenal (£45m). Getty Images -
Steven Bergwijn - Tottenham Hotspur to Ajax (£26.5m). AP Photo -
Andreas Christensen - Chelsea to Barcelona (free). AFP -
Sébastien Haller - Ajax to Borussia Dortmund (£30.8m). AFP -
Flynn Downes - Swansea City to West Ham United (£12m). PA -
Junior Messias - Crotone to AC Milan (£3.8m). Reuters -
Luis Sinisterra - Feyenoord to Leeds United (£21.3m). AFP -
Brais Méndez - Celta Vigo to Real Sociedad (£12.8m). Getty Images -
Moussa Niakhaté - Mainz to Nottingham Forest (£8.7m). Getty Images -
Romeo Lavia - Manchester City to Southmpton (£12m). AP Photo -
Tyler Adams - RB Leipzig to Leeds United (£20m). AP -
Axel Witsel - Borussia Dortmund to Atletico Madrid (free). EPA -
Maya Yoshida - Sampdoria to Schalke (free). AP Photo -
Tyrell Malacia - Feyenoord to Manchester United (£12.9m). AP Photo -
Zeki Celik - Lille to Roma (£6m). AFP -
Ritsu Doan - PSV Eindhoven to Freiburg (£6.5m). AFP -
Divock Origi - Liverpool to AC Milan (free). AFP -
Rolando Mandragora - Torino to Fiorentina (£7m). EPA -
Joao Palhinha - Sporting to Fulham (£17m). Getty Images -
Franck Kessie - AC Milan to Barcelona (free). Getty Images -
Trezeguet - Aston Villa to Trabzonspor (£3.4m). AFP -
Kalvin Phillips - Leeds United to Manchester City (£45m). Reuters -
Giulian Biancone - Troyes to Nottingham Forest (£5m). AFP -
Giuliano Simeone - Atletico Madrid to Real Zaragoza (loan). EPA -
Raoul Bellanova - Cagliari to Inter Milan (loan). Getty Images -
Richarlison - Everton to Tottenham (£50 million). PA -
Fabio Carvalho - Fulham to Liverpool (£5 million). PA -
James Tarkowski Burnley to Everton (free). Getty Images -
Sime Vrsaljko - Atletico Madrid to Olympiakos (free). AP Photo -
Dean Henderson - Manchester United to Nottingham Forest (loan). PA -
Luuk de Jong - Sevilla to PSV Eindhoven (£3.4m). AP Photo -
Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Roma to Inter Milan (free). Reuters -
Cenk Tosun - Everton to Besiktas (free). Reuters -
Andre Onana - Ajax to Inter Milan (free). Getty -
Moussa Sissoko - Watford to Nantes (£2m). AFP -
Corentin Tolisso - Bayern Munich to Lyon (free). AFP -
Vitinha - Porto to Paris Saint-Germain (£34m). AFP -
Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea to Inter Milan (loan). PA -
Lorenzo Insigne - Napoli to Toronto FC (free). AP -
Sven Botman - Lille to Newcastle United (£31.9m). AFP -
Takumi Minamino - Liverpool to Monaco (£15.5m). Getty Images -
Alphonse Areola - Paris Saint-Germain to West Ham United (£7.8m). AFP -
Lucas Leiva - Lazio to Gremo (free). Getty Images -
Joselu - Alaves to Espanyol (free). Getty Images -
Matt Turner - New England Revolution to Arsenal (£4.7m). Reuters -
Fernandinho - Manchester City to Athletico Paranaense (free). PA -
Bartol Franjic - Dinamo Zagreb to Wolfsburg (£6.9m). Getty Images -
Wahbi Khazri - Saint-Etienne to Montpellier (free). AFP -
Tobias Figueiredo - Hull City to Nottingham Forest (free). PA -
Pietro Pellegri - Monaco to Tornio (£3.9m). Getty Images -
Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City. Getty Images -
Malcolm Ebiowei - Derby County to Crystal Palace (undisclosed). PA -
Taiwo Awoniyi - Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest (£17m). Getty Images -
Gareth Bale - Real Madrid to Los Angeles FC (free). PA -
Lucas Alario - Bayer Leverkusen to Eintracht Frankfurt (£5.6m). PA -
Sadio Mane - Liverpool to Bayern Munich (£28m). Getty Images -
Armindo Sieb - Bayern Munich to Greuther Fürth (undisclosed fee). Getty Images -
Nick Pope - Burnley to Newcastle (£10m). PA -
Ki-Jana Hoever - Wolves to PSV Eindhoven (loan). PA -
Ryan Fredericks - West Ham United to Bournemouth (free). Getty Images -
Mario Götze - PSV Eindhoven to Eintracht Frankfurt (£3.4m). Getty Images -
Fabio Vieira - Porto to Arsenal (£30m). EPA -
Antonio Rudiger - Chelsea to Real Madrid (free). PA -
Merih Demiral - Juventus to Atalanta (£17.2m). AFP -
Giovanni Simeone - Cagliari to Hellas Verona (£10.3m). AP -
Marc Roca - Bayern Munich to Leeds United (£10m). PA -
Yves Bissouma - Brighton to Tottenham (£25m). PA -
Gavin Bazunu - Manchester City to Southampton (£12m). PA -
Darwin Nunez - Benfica to Liverpool (£64.3m). PA -
Aurelien Tchouameni - Monaco to Real Madrid (£85.3m). AFP -
Nemanja Matic - Manchester United to Roma (free). EPA -
Ryan Gravenberch - Ajax to Bayern Munich (£20m). EPA -
Giorgio Chiellini - Juventus to Los Angeles FC (released). Getty Images -
Cameron Carter-Vickers - Tottenham to Celtic (£6m). AFP -
Alexandre Lacazette - Arsenal to Lyon (free transfer). AFP
