Erik ten Hag has tended to resort to what he knows best when conducting transfer business at
Manchester United, focusing on signing players he has worked with, has been impressed by or those recommended by his agent, and it's not been a strategy without fault. It's provided as many misses as hits. Ten Hag pushed for Sofyan Amrabat this summer having worked with him at FC Utrecht but he has never looked ready for the standards of United. The Dutchman's judgement on spending big on Antony is also questionable. But the decision to sign Andre Onana is beginning to look a wise one and of all the signings made over the last two summers, Lisandro Martinez is surely the best of the lot. The Argentine has been outstanding since joining from Ajax. Ten Hag wanted the centre-back he had worked with in Amsterdam for his aggression as a defender, his quality on the ball and his leadership and personality off the field. He has delivered in every area. ALSO READ: What Kobbie Mainoo did to United transfer target shows how special he is ALSO READ: Sell Greenwood and solve Sancho issue - building United's dream attack In a season decimated by injuries to almost every member of the squad, it is Martinez's absence that has hurt United the most. He transforms the quality of their build-up play and brings an improvement in defending, especially in one-v-one situations. The 26-year-old is a leader as well, even without the armband. He is also a valuable presence around the training ground, as Ten Hag revealed recently when discussing those players who make sure standards never drop. He name-checked four players in total but lingered on what Martinez brings to those sessions at Carrington. "Rapha Varane, Casemiro, Bruno. Licha Martinez, when he is on the training pitch he is always front foot, always switched on and wanting to win, even in small games," said the United manager. Ten Hag has had to make do without that influence for most of this season, the defender having suffered a foot injury and then a knee injury that have combined to sideline him for more than 22 weeks since September. Most recently, the
Argentina international went down holding his knee against West Ham at the start of February, with scans revealing he had suffered damage to the medial collateral ligament. That was a better prognosis than initially feared and a recovery time of eight weeks suggests a return is close. He travelled to the
United States with his Argentina teammates during the international break and was pictured on the training ground. He is likely to return to training at Carrington this week and will aim to return to the side either at Brentford or in games against
Chelsea and
Liverpool later in the week. Martinez's return to action will be vital, with Ten Hag always talking about the importance of having a left-footed central defender in the side. United have missed that balance this season. His return to action at Carrington will also be just as valuable, helping to raise standards in sessions as Ten Hag tries to plot a successful end to the season via
Champions League qualification and an FA Cup triumph. Last year Ten Hag talked about needing the "personality and character" that Martinez brings to a squad. With so much on the line between now and the end of May, he needs those traits more than ever.