Manchester United Legend Jaap Stam has delivered his honest assessment of Manchester United’s latest signings Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia.
Tyrell Malacia joined Manchester United from Feyenoord for £13 million.
The 22-year-old Dutch signed a four-year deal with the Red Devils and was assigned the number 12 Jersey. He was part of Manchester United’s pre-season tour in Asia and had already impressed Manchester United fans.
The Red Devils confirmed the signing of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax for £ 55 million. The Argentina international is versatile. He can play as a center-back, right back and defensive midfielder.
What did Jaap Stam say about Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez?
The Manchester United Icon said via The Football insight, saying: “Martinez is gonna bring a lot of ball playing ability. A perfect player for the way that Ten Hag wants to play, and he knows exactly what he is getting from their time together at Ajax.
“He’s a defender that is very easy on the eye and he has that aggressive nature that you expect from an Argentinian defender – he’s tough, and he is very clever in the way that he positions himself.
“As a center back, you will see him step into midfield because he is so comfortable on the ball. He can also play as a six in midfield and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him there in certain games because he is very aggressive, he is great at picking up second balls and he can find the right pass going forward.”
Many people have reached questions marks about Lisandro Martinez’s height for not being suited able for the Premier League but the legendary defender has dismissed those claims saying: “A lot of people will mention his height, and he will lose a few battles in the air, but I think Ten Hag is looking at his versatility.
“Size-wise, he isn’t the tallest, but he makes up for that with his awareness and timing. Despite his size, he wins a lot of headers, which is important, and, as a center-back, you don’t need to be big to do well in England, you need to be clever.
“I think he is a great signing for United and I expect him to be a very good asset for the team.”
Jaap Stam who managed Feyenoord in 2019 believes Tyrell Malacia has what it takes to succeed at Manchester United.
He added: “He [Malacia] will give everything for United and will want to make the most of this opportunity. As a person, he is a good character too and he will get along with everyone in the squad.
“He’s a clever operator. He plays on the front foot and is aggressive in his challenges. He is very confident on the ball and the United fans can expect to see him bombing down the pitch, making overlaps, delivering quality crosses into the box, and also scoring goals.
“I think he will make a difference to the team, and he will add quality to the left-back option and give Luke Shaw some healthy competition. tactically, I think he is a good option from the bench to add pace to games, especially with the five-sub rule that is coming into effect this season.”
