Manchester United fans can allow themselves to get a little carried away with the potential Lisandro Martinez signing after footage emerges showing just how well he defended against superstar strikers Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez.
The Guardian reported on Thursday morning that United expect to get the deal done for Martinez sometime this week after 'successful talks' were held with Ajax the day prior.
The two clubs have agreed a deal in principle which involves the payment of a £42 million initial fee and the premise of future add-ons for the 24-year-old centre-back.
Talks look set to continue into Thursday with the structure of the deal still to be solidified.
Ten Hag and Martinez reunited
Martinez would become United's second official signing under Erik Ten Hag, although with the deal for Christian Eriksen reportedly finalised, that number looks set to be extended imminently.
His arrival would continue the running the theme of Ten Hag looking to recruit players that have played at least part of their career in the Eredivisie.
Tyrell Malacia, the first Ten Hag recruit through the door at Carrington, was acquired from PSV Eindhoven.
Meanwhile, Eriksen spent three years at Ajax between 2010-2013 after coming through their under-19's set-up.
Manchester United SIGN Martinez ✍️ Kimpembe to Chelsea Advanced✅Paqueta Arsenal FEE SET! (The Football Terrace)
In the case of Martinez, Ten Hag is even more familiar with him given the Argentine flourished under the guidance of the Dutch manager when he had the reins at Ajax.
So much so that in the 2021/2022 season, Martinez ranked 1st in the Eredivisie for passes completed, 3rd for passes in the opposition half, 3rd for forward passes, and 2nd for touches per 90.
All impressive stats which detail a dominant defender that's comfortable on the ball and more than capable of playing through the lines - and so it's hardly a surprise he was successfully employed as a defensive midfielder frequently, too.
But if fans have aired one slight concern, it's that Martinez stands just 5 foot, 9 inches from the ground, which, is pretty tiny compared to your average Premier League centre-back...
Video: Martinez expertly defending against Haaland and Nunez
To those fans, though, we say you needn't worry. His underlying stats - which we'll get to shortly - prove that his height really is no barrier when it comes to the Argentine's effectiveness.
And to prove our point, just watch these videos of Martinez brilliantly defending against Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez in last season's Champions League.
We'll start with Haaland. Oh, and keep in mind, Man City's new star is a whole seven inches taller...
Pretty impressive, ey?
Ajax won 4-0 on the night and Haaland didn't get a sniff thanks to Martinez.
Despite his height, Martinez won 71% of his aerial duels last season, putting him second to only Harry Maguire amongst the current United centre-backs.
His tally of 29 headed clearances also ranks more than anyone else on the Ajax team.
Right, now time to see how he fared against Liverpool's latest attacking addition...
Again, a dominant display from the Argentina international.
It looks like Martinez could have everything required to whip that rickety United defence of late into shape.