Erik ten Hag was right about one of his main Manchester United undroppables

After his first season at Manchester United came to a rather sudden and abrupt conclusion, Lisandro Martinez is probably counting down the days until he will pull on the famous red shirt again.

The Argentine international, snapped up from Ajax last July, suffered a season-ending injury during United's 2-2 draw against Sevilla at Old Trafford back in April. He fractured a metatarsal bone in his right foot and it brought a brilliant maiden season in M16 to a halt in the blink of an eye.

It was a devastating way for the centre-back's first season in England to draw to a close, not least because he had helped the club end its six-year wait for a trophy and had become an instant fans' favourite. Argentina flags went everywhere United's supporters went and Martinez was quickly established as a cult hero.

But based on what had been said prior to his arrival at Old Trafford, you would never have thought it possible. After United failed with their attempts to sign fellow Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, manager Erik ten Hag identified Martinez as the ideal alternative.

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The 25-year-old had blossomed under Ten Hag's stewardship in Amsterdam and the Dutchman thought he would be ideal to improve United's ability in possession when carrying the ball out from the back. However, pundits, some supporters and fans of just about every other club mocked United for investing north of £50million in a player that would become the smallest centre-back in the Premier League.

Many thought that Martinez, who is 5'9", would be unable to cope with the physical demands of English football. They considered him to be too small and many predicted that he would