“I know what I can do on the pitch” – Manchester United star claims he isn’t ‘nervous’ about competition as Ten Hag aims to secure deal for Ajax man
Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof has said that he isn't concerned about his place in the team despite the Red Devils' interest in Ajax's Lisandro Martinez, as per The Mail.
Martinez, 24, is a target of Erik ten Hag, and a £43 million bid has reportedly been made for the Ajax centre-back. The Red Devils are tussling with Arsenal for the signature of the Argentine, with the defender keen on making a move to the Premier League this summer.
Manchester United's first-choice centre-back pairing was Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane last season. However, there has been uncertainty over the future of Lindelof. The 27-year-old has travelled with United to Thailand for their pre-season tour of East Asia before heading to Australia.
The Swedish defender, though, isn't fretting about the new potential defensive recruit's arrival, saying:
"I’m not a nervous person; I’m quite calm. I know what I can do on the pitch; I’ve been working very hard, and that’s all I can focus on really."
He added:
"I’m always confident. At every club like this, there should be competition for places; that’s a very good thing. You need it to perform and to compete for trophies. This is my sixth year; I’ve made almost 200 appearances now. I want to do many more, and I want to help the team on the pitch."
🗣 "It's been a lot of hard work"
Man Utd defender Victor Lindelof says the quality of training has ramped up since Erik ten Hag took over and he 'demands a lot' from his players 👇 https://t.co/K172jBObRU
Lindelof made 34 appearances for the Red Devils last season, with most of them coming due to Varane's injury issues.
Manchester United disappointed defensively last campaign, conceding a whopping 57 Premier League goals, four more than relegated Burnley. They finished sixth and ended yet another season trophyless, having only won three major trophies since 2013, when they last won the Premier League title.
Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof heaps praise on Erik ten Hag
Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is certainly impressed by his new manager Erik ten Hag.
The Swede has spoken highly of the qualities the Dutchman has shown in training since taking the reins at Old Trafford. He told the aforementioned source:
‘It has been absolutely fantastic under the new boss since he came. The level of the training has really stepped up. I think he is very good at paying attention to the details – his demands and what he expects from us. If something is not right in an exercise, he can stop and explain it again for us, and that’s a very good thing for us."
Lindelof then touched on how Ten Hag has upped the intensity:
“The first week was a little bit different from this week. This week has been a bit more intense, with different types of runs and in games. I don’t mind it; it should be like that. He’s demanding a lot, but it should be like that at a club like this.”
Lindelof this is vote buying. Please stop it 😆
https://t.co/OXLnw0Kubg
Manchester United will play Liverpool in a friendly on July 12.