Manchester United have their former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar to thank for helping to smooth over the transfer of Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez is poised to become the second arrival of the Erik ten Hag era at Old Trafford after Ajax agreed to a £46million deal on Wednesday. The Dutch club have held firm amid a bidding war between United and Arsenal, but have now accepted that the Argentina international will be sold this summer.
The 24-year-old will join his former manager at United and form a four-man centre-back core alongside Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof. His arrival will also push forward the efforts to sell Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly.
United’s interest in Martinez has been known for some time, with Ten Hag putting his name forward upon his arrival in May. But it was only on Wednesday, after an hour-long meeting in Amsterdam, that an agreement was finally reached, according to De Telegraaf .
Having a familiar face in Van der Sar sat across the negotiating table was reportedly key to the breakthrough. He is said to have ‘given the transfer a move in the right direction’ during talks with United’s representatives, understood to be chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough.
The 51-year-old is now the chief executive of Ajax, but made 264 appearances for United between 2005 and 2011 as goalkeeper, helping to win four Premier League titles and the Champions League. Arnold and Murtough flew from Barcelona, where they were filmed on Monday working on a deal for Frenkie de Jong, to the Dutch capital to finalise a move for Martinez.
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Martinez was also courted by Arsenal, who submitted two official bids to Ajax. However, the Gunners only went up to £38m – well short of the Dutch’s side valuation, which has now been met by United.
Once the deal goes through it will be the second time the Argentina international has been signed by Ten Hag. It was under Ten Hag’s management that a €7m move from Argentine outfit Defensa y Justicia brought Martinez to Ajax back in 2019.
He starred for three seasons, making 118 appearances while contributing six goals and six assists under the Dutchman, who used him in central midfield and left-back, as well as at centre-back. Martinez will become United’s second signing following the arrival of Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord .
While the trail appears to have gone cold on De Jong for now, with Barcelona playing hard ball and complications arising over deferred wages and bonuses owed to De Jong, United do have a verbal agreement in place to sign free agent Christian Eriksen on a three-year deal.
