Man United new-boy Lisandro Martinez called Ajax’s technical director ‘f****** nobody’ during a meeting
The defender's outburst reportedly came after Ajax played hardball in the negotiations with United.
Players trying to force a move to another team is nothing new in football, but calling your current club's technical director a "nobody" most certainly is - we think.
According to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, that (plus an expletive or two) is exactly what Lisandro Martinez reportedly said to Ajax Technical Director Gerry Hamstra as negotiations dragged on with Manchester United.
As we all know, United and new boss Erik ten Hag eventually got their man, signing the Argentine defender for a fee of around £56 million last month.
However, back when Martinez was still attempting to seal his dream move, he seemingly wasn't afraid to voice his opinion on Ajax's hardball approach.
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In a meeting with club officials, the Centre-back allegedly told Hamstra that he was a ‘f****** nobody’, who was only in the role because their former executive Marc Overmars had to leave after being caught up in a scandal.
This insult seems to have worked a treat for Martinez, as only a few days after this outburst, he was sold to the Premier League side.
Curiously enough, United's move for the 24-year-old may never have happened if his former Ajax teammate would have acted similarly when the Red Devils came calling.
Numerous reports have suggested that young Ajax defender Jurrien Timber was Ten Hag's first choice Centre-back option, although the Dutch international refused to force his way out of the club.
Where Timber was content to stay put and continue his development as a player, Martinez willingly did all he could to force Ajax's hand.
Thus far, the move has proven to be an inspired one, exemplified best by the Argentina international's two colossal displays against Liverpool and Southampton earlier this month.
His reaction to a 2-1 victory over the former at Old Trafford has already made him a firm fan favourite.
United have been one of Europe's biggest spenders this summer, adding Brazilian pair Casemiro and Antony to their ranks, as well as Christian Eriksen and Left-back Tyrell Malacia.
All of these deals combined have taken the Red Devils' overall summer spend to a staggering £203 million.
By contrast, Deadline Day is expected to be a quiet one for the club, with Ten Hag confirming on Wednesday (31 August) that Cristiano Ronaldo will be staying in Manchester for the foreseeable future.
What have you made of United's transfer business? Let us know what you think.
Topics: Ajax, Erik Ten Hag, Lisandro Martinez, Manchester United, Premier League
Tom Fenton