Edu ready to sacrifice a Hale End star in a risky swap deal to help secure Mikel Arteta dream £38m Arsenal signing
Lisandro Martinez has been named as Arsenal’s key defensive target ahead of the new season.
However, due to interest in the player from other Premier League clubs, a deal is proving tough to confirm.
Martinez is Arsenal’s priority, according to The Athletic, due to his versatility to play at both centre-back and left-back.
Martinez is said to be interested in moving to the Emirates Stadium, and Ajax are said to have rejected a deal in the region of £25 million.
However, the same source claims that Manchester United are also interested in the Argentine, with Erik ten Hag potentially being the deciding factor because he previously handled the defender.
According to GOAL, the Red Devils have matched Arsenal’s fresh £38 million bid for the defender. With the possibility of a deal being hijacked, Edu can make a riskier decision that could tip the Martinez deal in Arsenal’s favour.
Edu may offer a potential player from the Hale End academy as part of a transfer to provide the Gunners important power over Manchester United in order to urge Ajax to accept an offer from Arsenal rather than Manchester United.
Salah-Eddine Oulad M’hand, a current Arsenal youth player, has previously been linked to the Eredivisie club.
The Dutch midfielder has shown outstanding promise during his time with the Gunners, making the first-team squad on many occasions.
However, in order for Mikel Arteta to secure his number one defensive priority, Edu may have to give up Oulad M’hand as part of a trade.
Before joining Arsenal, the midfielder left Feyenoord and apparently spoke with Ajax, according to Moroccan news outlett Soccer 212, before moving to north London in 2020.
According to English journalist Chris Wheatley, the midfielder is garnering interest from Eredivisie teams during the current summer transfer window, but this will most likely be on a loan deal if Arsenal accepts.
It would be a risk for Edu to trade a talented kid in exchange for the number one transfer target, but the Gunners would not be the only club to do so during the current transfer window.
Darko Gyabi, a Manchester City youth star, moved in the opposite direction following Kalvin Phillips’ £42 million move from Leeds United.
Martinez’s ability in positions outside than his native position at centre-back is one of the reasons the Gunners are vying for his signature.
Martinez made 13.4 passes into the final third per 90 minutes in the league last season, which is highlighted by the remarkable statistics.
Only Daley Blind and Trent Alexander-Arnold averaged higher in Europe’s top seven leagues.
This demonstrates the impact Martinez can have in positions other than center-back, as passing into the final third is not required of defenders.
Martinez’s impressive statistics, which compare him to Alexander-Arnold, widely regarded as one of the best creative defenders in the world, highlight the quality Arsenal will be signing if they can secure the Argentine’s signature, and the potential risk of including Oulad M’hand in a deal could give the Gunners key leverage over Manchester United.
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Edu ready to sacrifice a Hale End star in a risky swap deal to help secure Mikel Arteta dream £38m Arsenal signing
