Ajax star Lisandro Martinez is keen to move to the Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester United locked in a tug-of-war to sign him.
Arsenal have made THREE attempts to sign the Argentina international with the latest offer totalling £35m plus £5m in add-ons to try and fend off United. United boss Erik ten Hag wants to raid his former club to sign Martinez who is versatile and can play in defence, fill in at left back and also midfield.
Ajax have so rebuffed Arsenal’s offers to sign the 23-year-old and are holding firm in their stance that they do not want to sell and have slapped a big price in excess of £45m to scare off potential suitors. Martinez will remain respectful to Ajax but is excited by the opportunities and chance to potentially move to English football this summer.
He is a hugely popular figure at Ajax, they want to keep him and has just enjoyed an outstanding season. Martinez is only 5ft 9in but his stats for tackles and duels are outstanding and is seen as a similar figure to Javier Mascherano who enjoyed a brilliant career playing as a combative midfielder but also ended up in defence at Barcelona.
Arsenal have been tracking him since April and that groundwork may prove beneficial as they look for improvements in the squad with a versatile player who can cover for Kieran Tierney but also do other roles even more comfortably.
But United’s link comes from former Ajax boss Ten Hag who is now watching developments and they may dive in if Arsenal look like concluding an agreement. United’s priorities have been elsewhere and have agreed deals for Frenkie de Jong and Tyrell Malacia but Ten Hag really wants Martinez and it is clear the player is attracted by a big move to the Premier League.
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Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has assured his United team-mates he is staying at the club for next season. Chelsea and Bayern Munich have been monitoring Ronaldo's situation, after the 37-year-old forward was said to have been dismayed at United's lack of transfer activity this summer. But Ronaldo's United team-mate and Portuguese compatriot Bruno Fernandes revealed he has spoken to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and is confident he is staying at Old Trafford.
United are close to confirming the double signing of Dutch duo De Jong from Barcelona and Malacia from Feyenoord, with Fernandes now confident Ronaldo will not leave this summer.
“Cristiano's situation?" said Fernandes. "I spoke to him weeks ago, so I expect to meet Cristiano for pre-season training - and there’s nothing else
"He's one of those who will come back later because of the international games and I'm not thinking about anything other than that. As far as I know, there is nothing more than that, but everyone knows their future. I don't believe the club is willing to lose a player of the value of Cristiano."
