'He's like my dad' - Alejandro Garnacho on special relationship with Manchester United team-mate Lisandro Martinez

• Garnacho considers Martinez to be a father-figure
• Martinez helped Garnacho settle at Man Utd
• 18-year-old recently signed new five-year deal

WHAT HAPPENED? Manchester United teenager Alejandro Garnacho, who has won the hearts of the Old Trafford faithful with his inspirational cameos off the bench this season and is considered to be the next big Red Devil, recently revealed that fellow team-mate and countryman Lisandro Martinez is like a father-figure to him inside the United dressing room.

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WHAT THEY SAID: In a recent interview with Manchester United TV (MUTV), Garnacho expressed his appreciation and affection towards Martinez, stating that he always receives advice from the centre-back.

"From the very first day that I went into the dressing room, they've really treated me just like one of the lads," Garnacho conceded.

"I'm the youngest guy out of all that squad and so players like Lisandro Martinez who is like - well I say around here, that he's like my dad.

"He treats me like my dad, when he needs to tell me off he does, and when I do well he tells me that I have. He always tries to help me with everything."

Garnacho also reserved praise for Bruno Fernandes and David de Gea, who are among the senior-most members of the dressing room, with the former now the vice-captain of the team.

"Then you have players like Bruno who's quite close to me. He helps with everything that he can.

"I'm also good friends with De Gea, we speak the same language and he's a player who I'm very close to and we get on very well together. They all help me quite a lot."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Garnacho joined United from Atletico Madrid's youth system in 2020 for a £420,000 fee and made two appearances for the first team in the 2021-22 season. This season, under Erik ten Hag, he has broke into the first team and made 29 appearances before an ankle ligament injury in March 2023 hampered his progress.

He recently signed a new five-year deal with United that will keep him at the club till 2028 and is expected to gain more prominence and responsibility in the coming seasons.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD? Having been eliminated from the UEFA Europa League by Sevilla, Ten Hag and Co.'s immediate attention will turn towards their tricky away trip to Brighton on Thursday, May 4 as they hope to tighten their grip on a top four spot.