Manchester United player Lisandro Martinez was very close to joining Arsenal before Erik Ten Hag intervened
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Lisandro Martinez after a Premier League match.
In a recent interview, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag revealed that Manchester United’s star defender, Lisandro Martinez, was so close to joining Premier League rivals, Arsenal, during the 2022-23 summer transfer window. The former Ajax manager also explained how he played a key role in persuading the Argentine star to choose the Red Devils over the Gunners.
When Arsenal was looking for a young trusted player to fill their defensive duties earlier this summer, they were heavily linked with Lisandro Martinez and were really close to signing for them. During this time, Martinez contacted his ex-coach, Ten Hag saying, “I’m leaving, I can sign for Arsenal. But if you want me I’ll go to Man United.”
This conversation over a phone call was revealed by Erik Ten Hag later this week and how he hijacked Arsenal’s deal and signed him up for 55 million euros. Martinez has since then played a key role in both the club’s and Argentina’s success.
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What else did the Manchester United boss say about the hijacking deal of Lisandro Martinez?
In an interview with the Dutch magazine, Voetbal International, Erik Ten Hag said, “Whether I found it difficult to get Martínez away from Ajax? I had such a good time there, how we experienced the process together. From scratch, we brought Ajax back to the European top. That project has been so dear to me.”
He added, “But Martínez himself wanted to leave Ajax anyway. If we hadn’t taken him, he would have gone to Arsenal. They wanted him anyway, he was top priority there. Licha called me at one point. Coach, listen, I’m leaving Ajax anyway. I can sign with Arsenal, but if you want me, I’m going to Manchester United.”
He continued the conversation, “Then I thought: I shouldn’t shoot myself and United in the foot either. He really wasn’t staying in Amsterdam, that was out of the question. Then we struck and it all worked out.”
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Soumyadeep Mondal
(882 Articles Published)