Man Utd launch a new £42m bid to sign Lisandro Martinez

Manchester United remain locked in talks with Ajax trying to agree a deal for Lisandro Martinez after their latest £42m offer was rejected, according to Fabrizio Romano.

United are keen on reinforcing their defence this summer and Erik ten Hag has identified Martinez as a prime target. The Red Devils though, have so far not been able to reach an agreement with Ajax over the purchase fee.

Romano has reported that United’s latest £42 million bid (€50 million) wasn’t enough to convince Ajax to sell. The Italian journalist says talks between the two clubs are continuing as Man Utd look to finally thrash out a deal for the South American.

Martinez wants to leave Ajax to get a taste of the Premier League but de Godenzonen are playing hardball. Now, according to Steve Bates of the Mirror, Martinez is ready to force his way out of the club, should the current situation continue.

Ten Hag has made it clear that defence is one of the key areas to be reinforced this summer. The 24-year-old has been a constant target of his since he took over the reins at Old Trafford.

The next few days will be the key in terms of deciding the outcome of this saga.

Erik ten Hag’s love for Ajax continues

Since taking over as the new boss at United, most of ten Hag’s targets seem to be his former players at Ajax or those he’s coached before.

Christian Eriksen, Frenkie de Jong, Lisandro Martinez, and Antony are the names that have been constantly linked with a move to Manchester in recent weeks.

The Red Devils have not had the summer they perhaps wanted. Talks with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong have been on-going for the past two months. Eriksen is said to have signed his new contract with United but it has not been made official yet. And, there has been no agreement in place with Ajax for either Antony or Martinez.

New reports are suggesting that De Jong is ready to back out of a potential reunion with ten Hag. It will soon be a case of now or never for the former Premier League champions. All of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea are moving fast with respect to their summer targets but unfortunately, that has not been the case with the Glazers.

Harry Maguire’s struggles last season showed that defensive depth is essential at the club. Harry Maguire had a season to forget while Raphael Varane struggled with injuries. Therefore, their interest in Lisandro Martinez makes perfect sense, so United will hope to get a deal in place soon.