Transfer Profile: Lisandro Martínez

Transfer Profile: Lisandro Martínez 

By Jonny Bray
Ajax and the Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez has been linked with a move to the Premier League all summer. 
He has been a key player for the Eredivisie champions for several seasons now.
Arsenal and Manchester United are both reportedly after the centre-back, with Erik ten Hag seemingly looking to recruit as many of his Ajax stars as possible. 
The Daily Mail is reporting that Martínez has already been the subject of a £25-million bid from the Gunners. 
But with United now in for him, the Argentine's value is bound to increase. 
So, should Arsenal sign Martínez? 
And if they do, what type of player will they be getting?

What would Lisandro Martínez bring to Arsenal? 

Martínez made 24 appearances in the league last year for Ajax and also gained valuable experience in Europe, playing a further eight games. 
He was particularly impressive in the Champions League group stages last year, showing his solidity and quality on the ball throughout. 
Ajax didn't lose a game in the group stages, winning six from six and beating Borussia Dortmund twice along the way. 
Martínez was rewarded for his stunning displays, being named Ajax's Player of the Year on Wednesday.
The defender is not the most physically imposing centre-back, but he has the intelligence and sharpness to make up for it. 
His interceptions are outstanding, and his passing accuracy for the last three seasons has been over 88 per cent. 
At 24 years old, Martínez is the ideal age to have a long and successful career at the Emirates. 
And he also fits the profile of the type of player Mikel Arteta has looked to sign since taking charge at Arsenal. 

Would he get into the side? 

In Ben White and Gabriel Magalhães, Arsenal already have two very solid centre-backs. 
But White is clearly the weaker of the two and could be at risk of losing his place in the side if Martínez arrives in north London and hits the ground running. 
But that's a big ask for a young player from the Eredivisie who has never played in one of Europe's top five leagues. 
Arteta is unlikely to play three at the back, considering the system has consistently failed whenever he has deployed it in the past. 
And so there is a risk that Martínez could struggle to find his feet at Arsenal. 

Should Arsenal sign him? 

Ajax have already sold several players this summer. 
The longer this transfer saga goes on, the more the Dutch side will want for the defender. 
If Arsenal can secure Martínez's signature for less than £30 million, then it sounds like the perfect signing to add depth to the heart of the defence. 
However, with United now in for him and Ajax having already lost Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui and Danilo Pereira da Silva among others, it seems like a big ask for the recruitment team at Arsenal. 
There may be better options out there, and the race for the defender is heating up. 
So, maybe it's for the best that Arsenal stay out of this one and look for a better deal elsewhere. 
Photo Credit: Getty Images

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