Lisandro Martinez, United's new defensive general.

Strong debut season in the Premier League for the Argentine defender.

The 25-year-old signed for the Red Devils from Ajax for £57 million last summer but had a poor start to his United career, losing the first two matches against Brighton (1-2) and Brentford (4-0). Several experts criticized Martinez, especially Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who believed he was too small and inexperienced to play for a club of United's stature. However, Ten Hag remained confident and started Martinez against Liverpool, where he put in a stellar performance. Since then, his United career has only gone in one direction: upwards.

Martinez has formed a strong defensive partnership with Varane, which has likely been Ten Hag's preferred choice. Harry Maguire has been relegated to the bench, and he has had limited game time when one of the preferred defenders has been injured. In such cases, Victor Lindelöf has been given the opportunity to play instead.

Lisandro Martinez in Premier League 2022/23: 
Games: 27
Goals: 1
Tackles per game: 2.1
Interceptions per game: 1.2
Clearances per game: 3.6
Pass success: 87.3%

Martinez could also crown himself as a world champion with Argentina, where he was one of the standout performers. It has indeed been a great season for the Argentine defender.

It seems that TV expert Jamie Carragher has apologized for his criticism of Lisandro Martinez and has named him the season's best defender. It must be said that Martinez has been a reinforcement for United, finally solving the defensive issues that have plagued the team for several years. He has developed into a leader, strong in duels, and adept with the ball at his feet—a modern defender who can do it all. His partnership with Varane has the potential to grow further with more games played together. There are rumors that United may even bring in another center-back, adding competition for places. However, at the moment, Lisandro Martinez must be considered the first choice when Ten Hag selects his team.