Lisandro Martinez is wanted by both Arsenal and Manchester United, and Ajax is holding out for a higher price after receiving a fresh offer from the Gunners for £35 million for the Argentine defender’s services
The newspaper The Mirror reports that Arsenal has upped their offer to Ajax in the hopes of acquiring top defensive target Lisandro Martinez. Despite this, Ajax apparently continues to want a higher transfer price for the player, who is wanted by both Arsenal and Manchester United.
Arsenal is making significant progress during the current transfer window. After a time of relative inactivity in the market, the Gunners have sped up their attempts to bring in favored players, and they have already reached an agreement on four different transactions.
Marquinhos, a teenager playing for Sao Paulo, was the first player to arrive, followed by Fabio Vieira, an offensive midfielder playing for Porto. After that, Arsenal shared the news that goalkeeper Matt Turner had joined the club, and over the weekend, it was reported that the club had reached a deal to acquire Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City in exchange for £45 million.
Raphinha, who plays for Leeds United, and Lisandro Martinez, who plays for Ajax, are both still on Arsenal’s transfer wish list, with the Argentine player emerging as Mikel Arteta’s top defensive target in this window. However, the Gunners have already had a deal turned down a few weeks ago and have been working on developing a more competitive offer ever since.
Arsenal has competition for Martinez from Manchester United, who are also interested in signing Martinez. After their attempts to acquire Jurrien Timber were unsuccessful, the Red Devils shifted their focus to the Argentine player. But Arsenal is now in the lead in the hunt to sign Martinez.
The Gunners increased their previous offer for Martinez to £35 million, making it their most recent and best deal. However, according to Fabrizio Romano’s claim, the Dutch giants want more money for the Argentine international and are seeking a total of £43 million (or €50 million).
The fresh offer is evidence that Arsenal is prepared to do all in their power to get the defender, so there is no chance that they will back out of the agreement any time soon. The player may also be open to a transfer, something the Gunners are aware of, and the back-to-back bids may imply that the Gunners are aware of this fact.
After successfully completing the acquisitions of four players so far this summer, Arsenal is focused on concluding the transaction for Martinez as soon as possible. And there is growing optimism that Arsenal will come back with yet another enhanced offer if Ajax rejects their most recent deal as they try to reach an agreement for the 24-year-old player they are interested in.
