Manchester United are reportedly very close to signing Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.
According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are expected to complete the £46 million deal for the 24-year-old on Thursday.
The Premier League giants had seen their previous offer of £42.5m plus add-ons rejected, but the Eredivisie outfit are now ready to accept a new proposal for their player.
United are in direct contention with Arsenal, who are also keen on the Argentine.
However, it looks like they have managed to beat the Gunners in the transfer race, with the player having a strong relationship with Erik ten Hag who was Ajax’s manager between 2017 and 2022.
A brilliant signing
United will pull off a coup if they manage to sign Martinez from Ajax.
He is not the tallest defender at 5ft 9ins but has all the attributes to become a success in England.
Martinez is known for his passing, tackling and dominance in the air. Last season, he averaged 2.0 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 2.8 clearances in the Dutch league (as per WhoScored).
Ten Hag wants to implement his philosophy at United and is trying to sign the players he thinks are fit to play in his system.
The Dutch boss wants to bring Frenkie de Jong as a top priority, while he is also interested in reuniting with Martinez.
The 52-year-old knows the value of the Argentine footballer and has convinced the Red Devils to part with a considerable fee for him.
Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane were the first-choice centre-backs at Old Trafford last season, but Martinez could give them tough competition this term.
