Manchester United fans might be rather grateful their transfer plans didn’t go quite according to plan a year ago.
Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro have been two of United's best players this season, but if Erik ten Hag had it his way, neither of them would have been signed last summer. The newly-appointed manager was looking for an Ajax influence upon his arrival at Old Trafford and targeted two players he had worked closely with before.
United stumbled across the addition of Casemiro when it became clear a deal for Frenkie de Jong wasn't going to happen, while Martinez arrived after his former Ajax teammate Jurrien Timber turned down a move.
