Manchester United legend Jaap Stam delivers verdict on the signings of Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has heaped praise on new signings Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia whilst talking to Genting Casino.

The Eredivise defensive duo have joined Erik ten Hag's Old Trafford revolution having impressed in the Dutch league last season.

Martinez, 24, has joined on a five-year deal from Ajax for £51.6 million having played under Ten Hag for the past three seasons.

The Argentinian centre-back, dubbed 'the butcher', made 120 appearances for Ajax, scoring six goals whilst providing as many assists.

Last season, the defender made 36 appearances and was named Ajax's 'Player of the Year' for an impressive campaign.

Meanwhile, Malacia, 22, arrived from Feyenoord for £13.5 million, signing a four-year deal.

He became Ten Hag's signing as Manchester United boss in early July, having earned praise for his consistent performances for Feyenoord.

He made 50 appearances last season with one goal and five assists in a campaign which saw him break into the Dutch national team fold.

Stam is excited by the arrivals of the duo, tipping them to improve United's defense. He began by discussing Martinez's talent:

"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."

Staam then commented on Malacia's arrival, saying:

"He [Malacia] will give everything for United and will absolutely 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."

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Manchester United fans needn't worry about Lisandro Martinez's size

Lisandro Martinez (right) is nicknamed 'the butcher'

There have been some reservations over Lisandro Martinez's size given that the defender stands at 5ft 9in.

The Argentinian centre-back is renowned for his comfortable ball-playing abilities and his defensive nous.

Jaap Stam doesn't think his size will be problematic for Manchester United, saying (via the aforementioned source):

"Despite his size, he wins a lot of headers, which is important and, as a centre 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."