Erik ten Hag can tick two Manchester United boxes with Lisandro Martinez transfer

For all of Manchester United's problems last season, it was their lack of a defensive-minded midfielder that was by far and away their biggest.

United invested heavily in their squad last summer, strengthening their central-defensive and wide options with the additions of Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho, respectively. That meant that there was little room left in the budget to bring in a world-class holding midfielder as well.

Although hindsight can often prove to be a wonderful thing in football, United must have regretted not bringing in a player of that profile. It was a problem that plagued them throughout the campaign and the need to sign a defensive midfielder this summer was accepted a long time before even Ralf Rangnick had become a familiar name around Manchester.

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Yet here we are, more three weeks into the summer transfer window, and United are focusing all of their energy on trying to recruit a midfielder who goes against the grain of what most believed was required — in the shape of Frenkie de Jong. While the Dutchman would significantly strengthen United's midfield options and give them a degree of control in matches — something else they desperately lacked last season — he is not the type of player that will sit deep, do the dirty side of the game and fly into challenges like Declan Rice or Fabinho.

Instead, he is someone that wants to get on the ball, dictate games, drive forward and look to supply those who will then provide the assists for the strikers. Deploying him as a destroying holding midfielder would be a complete waste of his talent.

That is why United might have found exactly what they are looking