Manchester United are trying to add another centre-back to Erik ten Hag’s squad after submitting a final offer to sign Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez.
According to The Telegraph, Manchester United hope an improved offer with add-ons worth up to £46 million will be enough to swing the deal in their favour.
The Red Devils currently have six senior defenders on their books, and we could see at least two exit the club to make way for Martinez’s arrival – granted Ajax accept United’s latest offer, which would see Arsenal miss out on the player.
James Ducker reports: “United currently have six senior defenders on their books in Raphael Varane, Maguire, Lindelof, Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe and at least two of those are likely to need to make way to facilitate Martinez.”
In the 4-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday, Bailly impressed with his performance in the second half but Ten Hag will need to be ruthless with his players and there’s probably not a place for the Ivorian since he is behind several defenders in the pecking order.
Martinez has been strongly linked with a move to United and Arsenal this summer, but it sounds like the Argentine has a greater chance of moving to Old Trafford where he could reunite with manager Ten Hag.
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It is understood that the 24-year-old is eager to move to United, while Ajax have been holding out for £50m to sell the centre-half. The Dutch giants are also being linked with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykolaiv Matviyenko as a replacement for the Argentine.
Hopefully this means United will get to sign Martinez this week.
