“United need him”: Hargreaves sets out clear stance on “proper personality” who has split opinion

Manchester United have made a few signings over the years that have certainly divided opinion. Lisandro Martinez debate Nonetheless, there have been few players who seem to have caused as much debate in the media among former pundits as Lisandro Martinez. The Argentine joined United in the summer of 2022 from Ajax and has been an incredibly consistent operator for the Red Devils. The World Cup-winning centre-back has missed substantial amounts of game time over the years due to various injury problems, but he has constantly delivered whilst he has been on the pitch. When he first arrived in England, Jamie Carragher dismissed him as too small to make it in the Premier League. In addition, ahead of the Manchester derby last month, former United stars Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt also criticised the centre-back. They joked on a podcast that they could envision Erling Haaland picking up Martinez and treating him like a child, such would be his domination. Martinez went on to deliver a defensive masterclass as Haaland barely had a kick in United’s dominant 2-0 victory over their city rivals. Different perspective Not all pundits share the same view, though, and Champions League winner Owen Hargreaves conducted an interview with Martinez for TNT Sports. He then gave his feedback to Man United’s official club site and was incredibly complimentary about the central defender. Hargreaves claimed, “he was a class act. He’s had a difficult time with injury but he’s a proper character, a proper personality. The Argentinian boys have real heart and he spoke about that, actually: what it meant to play for Manchester United, the history of Argentinian players at this club and he wants to bring United back up to what it was.” What’s more, Martinez also opened up on his ambitions to help restore the glory days to Old Trafford. Hargreaves added, “he said he remembers watching me in the Champions League final [against Chelsea] in 2008 and he wants to bring the club back to its former glory. He’s a proper personality and United will need him.” Lisandro Martinez season stats Games playedGoalsMinutes 140905 Source: transfermarkt.com Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Alex Browne Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Alex has a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast and La Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain. Having lived in the country since 2011, Alex is The Peoples Person’s Spanish football expert and is fluent in both Spanish and Catalan. He dreams of witnessing a United captain triumphantly hoisting the Premier League and Champions League trophy in the air once more.