Erik ten Hag names three reasons Manchester United signed the players they signed

Had things worked out slightly differently in this transfer window then Lisandro Martinez could have been lining up against Manchester United at Old Trafford today.

The Argentina centre-back was wanted by Arsenal early in the window and it was the Gunners' bid for Martinez that forced United to accelerate their own transfer plans.

United had initially considered Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres as a left-footed option, but Erik ten Hag pushed for the signing of Martinez, a player he had worked with at Ajax, and the deal was completed for £56million in mid-July.

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The 24-year-old suffered a shaky start to his Old Trafford career and his lack of height was questioned after the back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Brentford to start the season.

But Ten Hag's side have recovered well and Martinez has been at the heart of the revival, impressing in the three consecutive wins against Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City and forming a feisty partnership with Raphael Varane.

He has already become a cult hero at United thanks to his character and aggression on the field and Ten Hag is delighted the club acted on his recommendation and snapped him up ahead of today's opponents, who top the Premier League with a perfect record after five games.

"Yes, I wanted him. Ball-playing but also you see his defending capabilities. His toughness, his positioning, his anticipating. Togetherness. I know what he is able to do. He has pace. He is doing well but he has to do much better," Ten Hag said of Martinez.

The Argentine is one of three players Ten Hag has recruited from the Eredivisie this summer and none of Martinez, Tyrell Malacia or Antony have played in Europe