As ten-man Manchester United hung on to secure a point at home to Southampton at the weekend, one man who was instrumental in fending off the visitors was Argentine centre-back, Lisandro Martinez, with the World Cup winner again showcasing his class both in and out of possession.
Arguably the club's "best player" against the Saints, according to The Athletic's Carl Anka, the 25-year-old regularly bailed his side out of trouble after recording nine recoveries on the day, having also been remarkably composed on the ball – at one stage expertly turning his man just outside United's penalty area.
That standout showing has come amid what has been a stunning campaign thus far for the former Ajax man since his £56.7m arrival, with the 5 foot 9 warrior shaking off any early doubts over his suitability to the Premier League to become a leading figure in Erik ten Hag's side.
The relentless "animal" – as hailed by compatriot Emi Martinez – has already started 32 games in all competitions this season as a marker of his importance to the backline, with Ten Hag seemingly favouring a left-footed option at centre-back.
The problem for the Red Devils boss will be that lack of alternatives to the 15-cap machine in that role when required, with it perhaps somewhat unsustainable to have to use starting left-back Luke Shaw as something of a makeshift option in the centre of defence.
Therefore, finding a potential heir or understudy to Martinez could be vital for the Old Trafford outfit in the near future, with Ten Hag potentially having an ideal candidate for the role in the form youth star, Bjorn Hardley.
Who is Bjorn Hardley?
While likely not a name familiar to most United supporters, young Hardley has been on the cusp of the first team in recent times, despite having been left to wait to make his senior debut for the club.
The 20-year-old centre-back – who arrived at the club from NAC Breda in his homeland back in 2019 – was called up to first-team training by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in October 2021, having also again made the step up last month with Ten Hag keen to take a closer look.
The promising Dutchman mirrors Martinez in his ability to feature at the heart of the defence, as well as at left-back or in central midfield if required, having previously been hailed as a "special kid" by academy scout, Rene Moonen.
Equally, the 6 foot 2 ace has also been hailed as a "real leader" in the recent past by youth coach Neil Ryan, with such a trait again sparking a likeness with that of the Argentine, who has been praised by his manager for bringing "personality" and "character" to the club.
Hardley's quality has been evident so far this season as he has made 22 appearances in all competitions at U21 level – registering two goal contributions – having notably featured in all five EFL Trophy outings earlier in the campaign.
Those appearances in that latter competition saw the emerging gem average a solid 1.6 tackles and one interception per game from his defensive berth, with that record not too dissimilar to that of Martinez, who has averaged 1.8 and 1.2 for the same two metrics, respectively, in the league.
That should indicate that Ten Hag should truly consider giving Hardley a chance if he is to rotate his side in the near future, with the youngster seemingly possessing the necessary traits to be able to flourish in his compatriot's system.
