Manchester United submit £39m opening bid for Lisandro Martinez, with Ajax defender keen to reunite Erik ten Hag amid rival interest from Arsenal

Manchester United have made an opening bid of £39million for Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez, according to talkSPORT.

Premier League rivals Arsenal are also interested in the versatile Argentine, but the 24-year-old is believed to be keen to reunite with former manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Arsenal have already made two offers for Martinez and are awaiting a response from the Dutch club after they tabled a second offer worth £35million.

The defender has made over 100 appearances for Eredivise champions Ajax, showing his versatility playing in four different positions since joining them from Defensa y Justicia in 2019.

He mainly played as a centre-back last season when he was just 5ft 9in tall, but can also play left-back, right-back and as a defensive midfielder.

New United boss Ten Hag has worked with him during his time in the Netherlands and is one of several Ajax stars linked with a move to join him in Manchester.

The duo have won back-to-back titles and the Dutch boss is said to be huge admirers.

Ten Hag highlighted his ability to play in various positions when it was reported that left-back Nicolas Tagliafico nearly left Ajax two years ago.

The new United boss said: “In preparation, I will try Lisandro Martínez for this position. He also played in midfield for us, but he is a defender.

“I find Lisandro Martinez an excellent player, he actually starts and that’s why I talk to him a lot,” he added.

“But he has a lot of competition with Daley Blind, Tagliafico and [Ryan] Graveberg. I can only start 11 players.

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