An update on the ongoing efforts of Premier League giants Arsenal to bring Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez to the club this summer has been provided.
The name of stopper Martinez has of course taken its place front and centre in the headlines on the red half of north London over the course of the last week.
This comes after the transfer team at Arsenal, altogether out of the blue, were revealed to have tabled an opening offer for the Argentine’s services.
Ajax, for their part, opted to rebuff the proposal, understood to have come in around the €30 million mark.
🚨 Arsenal defensive priority this window is Lisandro Martinez. Wanted for ability to play LCB / LB + 24yo Argentina international said to be keen. Sources indicate ~€30m bid already rejected by #Ajax but #AFC will keep pushing. That & more @TheAthleticUK https://t.co/OxgBbdOOAo
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 17, 2022
If the latest word stemming from the media on Thursday is anything to go by, though, then it appears that Mikel Arteta and co. are far from ready to call time on their Martinez pursuit.
In fact, as per transfer journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal appear ready to step up the club’s pursuit of the 24-year-old.
Speaking in an interview with Hayters TV a short time ago, Ornstein was draw on the Gunners’ Martinez chase, and went on to confirm:
“Lisandro Martinez is a firm target for Arsenal. He’s a player Mikel Arteta wants to sign. That interest will not drop [bid rejected]. As things stand, I think Arsenal are the most probable destination for Martinez, who is said to be keen on a move.”
Word of Arsenal’s readiness to do whatever it takes to push a deal for Martinez over the line this summer would certainly appear to line up with the latest word doing the rounds surrounding the future of current Gunners defender Nuno Tavares.
Reports stemming from France across the day to date have pointed towards Olympique Marseille as pushing hard to bring Tavares in on loan for the 2022/23 campaign.
Martinez’s ability to slot in at left-back, in turn, would only add further to his appeal as a target for Arteta and co, should Tavares, as expected, be allowed to move on.
🚨Info : L’#OM discute avec #Arsenal pour un prêt avec option d’achat de Nuno Tavares 🇵🇹.
• Les Gunners sont ouverts à l’idée de prêter leur latéral gauche la saison prochaine.https://t.co/FzlJyqX29W
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) June 23, 2022
Arsenal defender set to join Burnley this summer with chance to play under Vincent Kompany
Marseille make offer to sign Nuno Tavares from Arsenal
