Manchester United are reportedly set to rival Arsenal for the transfer of Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.
The Red Devils are the latest name being linked with the Argentine, who can play centre-back and left-back, with the Daily Mail suggesting he could be edging closer to a £30million move to Arsenal.
Now, however, Man Utd also look to be in the mix for Martinez, with the 24-year-old being looked at after the club were rejected by his Ajax team-mate Jurrien Timber, according to De Telegraaf journalist Mike Verweij, as cited and translated by the Metro.
Martinez has shone in his time in Amsterdam, and looks like another defensive player who could improve this struggling United squad.
Like Timber, Martinez will be a player Erik ten Hag knows well from his time in charge of Ajax, and that connection could prove useful.
This is potentially a blow for Arsenal, though it’s debatable if they really need to be making a new defender a top target anyway, as, unlike United, they have some pretty solid options in that department.
The Gunners have Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes as their first choice defensive pairing, while youngster William Saliba should also be returning from loan next season, so it’s not clear how Martinez would fit in.
United, by contrast, urgently need an upgrade on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, while even Raphael Varane wasn’t entirely convincing last season.