Sir Alex Ferguson’s assessment of Lisandro Martinez reinforces that Manchester United should look beyond the Argentina defender’s World Cup injury setback.
Lisandro Martinez was unable to see out the first half of this summer’s World Cup final before Lionel Scaloni was forced to withdraw him from the contest.
Nicolas Otamendi took the 28-year-old Manchester United star’s place at the MetLife Stadium, which ultimately ended in Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina on Sunday.
Martinez’s latest injury problem might be the best time to put into perspective what the 2022 World Cup winner brings to the table for Man Utd at club level.
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Sir Alex Ferguson’s admiration for Lisandro Martinez’s ‘experience’ speaks volumes about the Argentina and Man Utd star
Lisandro Martinez had seen out his debut season at Old Trafford before Sir Alex Ferguson revealed an honest analysis of the former Ajax star’s influence.
The Argentina international was a key signing under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag in 2022 and struck up a superb defensive dynamic with Raphael Varane at the club.
Martinez had been immediately written off when he arrived in the Premier League due to his size, despite defying all expectations with his ability to immediately adapt.
Injuries, unfortunately, have been the most contentious issue with Martinez’s spell at Old Trafford after Manchester United signed him from Ajax in a deal worth £57m.
However, iconic former United manager Ferguson valued one all-important attribute that Martinez brought with him during his time under Erik ten Hag: his experience.
“They’ve got great experience, the defenders with Varane and [Lisandro] Martinez,” he said on CBS Sports in 2023, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“Experience in midfield with [Christian] Eriksen and Casemiro. The foundations are there and they’re always completed by your goalkeeper and centre-forward.”
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Lisandro Martinez’s Man Utd experience overshadows his injury-hit spell at Old Trafford
Ferguson was no stranger to navigating the world of players who had past injury issues, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Owen Hargreaves.
However, the 84-year-old Scotsman knew how invaluable experience was with the players in his squad, with Martinez possessing that in the current Man Utd side.
In the event that Bruno Fernandes leaves the pitch during a match, United fans would no doubt want Martinez to put on the captain’s armband for the rest of the clash.
Martinez’s injuries might have impacted his run at Old Trafford, but it is hard to deny his quality or his influence around other Man Utd players in the dressing room.
It would feel premature to try and offload Martinez this summer, especially after Luke Shaw had a ‘miracle’ season in the previous campaign when it came to avoiding injuries.
An experienced centre-back will always trump rolling the dice and trying to bring a new player into English football, especially with the risk that can come with it.
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