Ajax have reportedly told Arsenal how to complete the signing of Lisandro Martinez this summer, with the Gunners said to have had an opening bid rejected. The 24-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium lately and he's been touted as Mikel Arteta's top priority.
According to The Athletic, the north London outfit have enquired about the Argentina international's availability this summer. Martinez, who sees his contract at The Johan Cruyff Arena expire in 2025, is said to be keen to pen a deal at the Emirates Stadium.
However, reports claim that the Dutch giants have already rejected a €30million (£25.8m) bid from Edu. The Gunners will reportedly persevere in their efforts to sign the Argentine amid competition from Manchester United, spearheaded by former boss Erik ten Hag.
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So, should Arsenal follow through on their wishes, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Ajax want an 'incredible' bid worth €50million (£43m). Therefore, the Gunners must be prepared to increase their opening offer by €20million (£17.2m).
Martinez's versatility puts him in a similar bracket to Takehiro Tomiyasu, with the Argentine able to operate at left-back and defensive midfield, while predominantly plying his trade at centre-back. Reports suggest that the Eredivisie champions would entertain offers this summer, despite him having penned a new long-term deal last September.
With that said, Arteta is keen to bolster his options across the board this summer. And, regardless of whether Arsenal sign Martinez, the Gunners boss wants to welcome several notable signings.
When asked if he expects another busy transfer window in terms of player recruitment, he said: "I am expecting so, yes. I think both competitions [the Champions League and Europa League] require a much larger squad because the amount of games you play is much bigger in both, so I don’t think [which you qualify for] makes a lot of difference or changes a lot.
"If you can financially afford it and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to do, if you ask me what I want it’s 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers. You have to come a long way in the aspects that you see on the pitch, it’s a lot of things that have to be put in place, and that takes time."
If Arsenal can engineer a deal for Martinez, Arteta would be essentially signing his very own Fernandinho. The Brazilian has been the backbone to Pep Guardiola's success at Manchester City, and the Ajax utility man could grow into a similar role.
The future of the Gunners' holding midfield role is yet to be entirely cemented - whether it be due to injuries or absences - and Martinez has emerged as an exciting option. With the Arsenal boss keen to spend big this summer too, Edu can build around the Argentine - as did Guardiola with Fernandinho.
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