Lisandro Martinez is ready to force his way out of Ajax to seal a move to Manchester United.
Fellow Ajax stars believe the 24-year-old Argentinian defender is ready to go to war with the club to reunite with former boss Erik ten Hag. It's likely he's kicked his last ball for the Dutch giants - and may even refuse to continue training with them if they don't reach an agreement with Old Trafford negotiators.
But United will have to increase their current £43million offer, with Ajax playing hard ball and demanding £50million before allowing the central defender to leave Amsterdam.
Sources close to the Martinez camp say the South American star is losing patience with Ajax, who had hoped to encourage a bidding war between United and Arsenal, with the Gunners also chasing the defender. Martinez has made it clear he wants to join United and Ten Hag's Old Trafford revolution – and he's urging Ajax to get a deal done in the next 48 hours.
The player and his agent have so far stayed silent but they are said to be disappointed and crucial talks will be held with Ajax in the next few days. Ten Hag is also pushing Old Trafford chiefs to reach an agreement with his former club, believing Martinez, along with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, is central to his plans to revitalise United. Barcelona have so far blocked United's attempts to sign De Jong, although Old Trafford bosses remain hopeful a deal can be done before the window closes.
That's scuppered Ten Hag's hopes of having the Nou Camp and former Ajax star on United's tour of Asia and Australia – but he wants Martinez to fly out as soon as a deal is done. However, despite reports, Ten Hag and United haven't yet spoken to Ajax about Brazilian winger Antony. The United boss is awaiting developments on Cristiano Ronaldo's request to leave just one season into a two-year deal. United have made tentative inquiries about young RB Leipzig striker Brian Brobbey but Antony is not yet a viable target for ten Hag.
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Meanwhile, Ten Hag has opened up on the structure of his backroom team at Old Trafford and claimed Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag will help implement his style of football on the United players. Ten Hag is seeking to galvanise the club from the disappointment of last season, when United finished with their lowest-ever points total in the Premier League. Ten Hag believes McClaren's understanding of the culture at Old Trafford will be of particular use to him.
He told United's website : “Of course, he [McClaren] has other competences and capabilities but the fact that he knows the club, I think, is a big advantage for us. Although it was a long time ago, he still knows the culture of Manchester United. Mitchell van der Gaag also had a lot of experience. First, as a player, he played many games in the highest levels in different leagues and, after that, he became coach, also in different countries, at different levels. So, he gained a lot of experience and most important for these two is they know how to win because they proved it in the past. I think, both Steve McClaren and him are coaches from the moment they were born.
“We want to play a proactive style of football – on the ball and off the ball. That is, trying to do that has to be our intentions and it’s now, firstly, the coaches bring it over to the team that we are, in every situation, proactive. We are brave and willing to have the ball, to give each other options. But also off the ball, to get the pressing style is what we’re working for together."
