After months of speculation, Manchester United have confirmed Lisandro Martinez's move to Old Trafford is imminent.
Martinez will become the third signing of the summer for United, with Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen already having arrived at Old Trafford this transfer window. The Argentina international cost Erik ten Hag's side £46.8million, rising to £55.3m, on a five-year contract, plus an extra optional year.
The move to United will see Martinez follow Ten Hag from Ajax to United, with a handful of other players from the Dutch champions also being linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer. The 24-year-old's versatility could prove valuable for United this season.
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So, how does Martinez compare to the rest of the United squad? We assessed the Argentine's FIFA 22 profile to find out how he fares against his new teammates.
Lisandro Martinez's FIFA 22 rating assessed
Overall rating: 80/100
Overall Potential : 85/100
Positions: CB, LB, CDM
Weak Foot: Three Star
Skill Moves: Three Star
After initially starting FIFA 22 with a rating of 79 overall when the game was launched, Martinez's rating increased by one over the course of the season, currently rated 80 out of 99, with that rating surely now set to increase in FIFA 23, which is due for release later this year. As well as being rated 80 out of 99, the 24-year-old has a potential rating of 85 out of 99.
When compared to other defenders at United, Martinez has a higher rating than Phil Jones (73), Eric Bailly (77), Diogo Dalot (78) and Malacia (79), whilst he's the same rating as Victor Lindelof (80), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (80) and Alex Telles (80), with the latter two having both received big downgrades this year. Harry Maguire's rating (81) has decreased by three in FIFA 22 and is only one higher than Martinez, whilst Luke Shaw (82) and Raphael Varane (85) are also rated higher.
If Martinez was to hit his potential rating of 85, the Argentina international would become the same rating as Varane and the highest-rated defender at the club. The 24-year-old boasts a selection of impressive attributes, with his defending, physical and passing stats his highest.
His best defensive attributes are his jumping (90), aggression (84), stamina (84), defensive awareness (83), composure (82), interceptions (82), standing tackle (81) and sliding tackle (81). His highly-rated jumping and aggression debunk the theory that the defender will struggle at centre-back due to his height (5ft 9in).
Martinez also has a short passing attribute of 82 and a long passing attribute of 82, and no current United defender can beat that, showing that he has the quality to bring the ball out from defence for United. Used more as a left centre-back at Ajax, it seems Martinez will be at his best should he partner Varane and battle Maguire for the other centre-back spot, but he can also play at left-back and in defensive midfield.
Overall, Martinez's FIFA 22 profile shows he is well-suited to the vision Ten Hag has at United. His strong passing and defensive attributes will help United become more press resistant, with his versatility putting him in contention to play a number of roles and add much-needed competition to Ten Hag's side.
How do you think Lisandro Martinez could perform for United next season? Let us know in the comments below!
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