Lisandro Martinez could force Manchester United into Eric Bailly position switch

It may only be pre-season, but Erik ten Hag wasn’t going to let his defenders off lightly after they conceded against Melbourne Victory on Friday. The new United manager insisted the opening goal was not down to individuals but the entire team for making mistakes as they folded ‘like a pack of cards’ for Chris Ikonomidis to fire beyond Tom Heaton.

Ten Hag knows that improving United’s defensive record this season will not be solely about reinforcing his back line but also about adjusting their tactical approach, though he is also keen for an improvement in quality from his centre-back options.

Lisandro Martinez has arrived in Manchester to complete his move after the club agreed a £46million fee with Ajax. The centre-back will undergo a medical now that he's arrived in the country, and United will also need to secure a visa for the Argentina international. He will then sign a five-year contract worth around £120,000-a-week.

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His arrival is a boost to the United boss, but it brings with it the inevitable consequence of others having to leave to accommodate him.

Phil Jones is not part of the tour as he undergoes his own specialist training programme at Carrington, Axel Tuanzebe hasn’t featured yet and young duo Teden Mengi and Di’Shon Bernard are also being considered for loan exits.

Alex Telles has twice been tasked with filling in as an auxiliary centre-back in pre-season, and it will be fascinating to see where Martinez sits in the hierarchy when he links up with the squad following their pre-season tour.

Harry Maguire, the club captain, is currently top of the rankings, with Raphael Varane second given his woeful injury record. Victor Lindelof appears to be third,