YORK CITY released Curacao youth international defender Derwin Martina just moments after he made his debut for the National League strugglers.
Minstermen boss Gary Mills made it clear he was searching for an attacking full-back and the former Ajax youngster was on his radar.
The club initially claimed the deal was off due to problems receiving international clearance but the move was then completed in time for Martina to sit on the bench against Eastleigh on Saturday.
In a bid to get him some fitness, Mills made Martina – who had signed until the end of the season from Finnish side Atlantic FC – available for York’s reserve side on Tuesday afternoon as they took on Hartlepool United.
Martina started the game and completed 81 minutes before being replaced but Mills was obviously not a fan of what he saw, deciding to release the defender straight after the match.
Speaking to the York Press before his arrival, Mills was keen on bringing in the 22-year-old: “Everybody knows people in the game and I’ve been looking for an attacking wing-back. Derwin came up on the radar.
“We’ve just got to get international clearance and I’m hoping he can be the player that the people who have been looking for me believe he is, because I have seen him but they’ve seen him a lot more.”
The club also claimed that Derwin was the brother of current Southampton player and fellow Curacao international Cuco Martina. However, that is not the case.
“He is not my cousin, he is just a friend,” Derwin told BBC Radio York. “In my country, Martina’s a really big name so a lot of people have that last name, but he’s not my brother.”
