On Ten Hag's shortlist: MUFC eye £28.8m-rated maestro after 'Louvre'-worthy moment - Paul Hirst

Lisandro Martinez is among the players that Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have identified as a summer target. 

That’s according to Paul Hirst, Manchester football correspondent for The Times.

Ten Hag is preparing for his first season in charge at Old Trafford after he was appointed permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 52-year-old enjoyed great success at Ajax, winning the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup twice each.

He selected Martinez at centre-back 37 times across all competitions over the course of the recently-concluded season.

Valued at £28.8m by Transfermarkt, the Argentine is under contract at the Johann Cruyff ArenA until the summer of 2025.

Hirst wrote for The Times that Martinez’s name features on Ten Hag’s transfer shortlist at United, along with team-mates Jurrien Timber and Antony.

Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, two Dutchmen who previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax, are also ‘candidates’ for a summer move to Old Trafford.

Away from the Netherlands, Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres is also the subject of admiration from the Red Devils.

Based on his interest in Martinez, Timber, De Ligt and Torres, it seems that Ten Hag has decided that he needs an upgrade in the heart of defence. He appears dissatisfied with his existing options, which include Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof, who all featured in a team which shipped 57 Premier League goals this season.

According to FBRef, Martinez boasts a similar playing style to Manchester City’s Ruben Dias, ranking in the 99th percentile among positional peers in the major European leagues for both progressive passes and tackles per 90 minutes. It’s no surprise that the 24-year-old is