Manchester United hoping to sign 24-year old with 'final' £46 million offer: Reports

Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez. The club have tabled a final offer worth £46 million including add-ons.

The Daily Mirror reported that the Eredivisie champions have found this offer suitable to their demands and are ready to accept it. The 24-year old defender has been pushing for a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United contesting for his signature.

However, the Red Devils seem to have pulled ahead in the race and could make Argentine manager Erik ten Hag's second signing at Old Trafford following Tyrell Malacia's arrival. Ajax rejected multiple bids from both the English giants and were asking for £50 million for Martinez.

The Red Devils saw two bids of £38.5m and £43m rejected, respectively. But the player himself is eager to leave and reunite with former boss Ten Hag. Hence, the Dutch club do not want to be an obstacle and are hence ready to settle at £46m.

With the arrival of the Argentina international, Manchester United will possess four competitive centre-backs, including Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.

The UK outlet claims that this could trigger the departures of Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, and Phil Jones, who will be surplus to requirements and haven't been able to prove themselves in their time at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are also expected to make the official announcement of Christian Eriksen's imminent free transfer in the coming days. Meanwhile, Ajax have already scouted a potential replacement for Manchester United target Martinez.

Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykolaiv Matviyenko is on the radar of the Eredivisie club to replace their outbound defender.

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How will Lisandro Martinez strengthen Manchester United's defense?

The Red Devils had a disartrous 2021-22 campaign, where they shipped 57 goals in the Premier League, their worst ever record in the tournament. So clearly, improving the backline is high on Erik ten Hag's agenda.

Their captain, Harry Maguire, was prone to costly errors and Raphael Varane seemed a shadow of who he was at Real Madrid.

This is where Martinez could come in handy. Although he's just 5'9, which is a short height for a central defender, he's a fierce competitor who is good both in the air and in one-vs-one situations. He's faster without the ball and has better ball-playing abilities than most Manchester United defenders.

His versatility also allows him to play as a left-back and even in defensive midfield, which could guarantee him a starting spot in the squad. An intensely competitive figure like him will also uplift the character of the team on-field.