According to Dutch outlet, De Telegraaf, Lisandro Martinez has now rejected a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners had been pursuing this deal for weeks and weeks, but with Manchester United also in the race, it looks as though the defender has now made his decision.
It has been thought for quite some time that United were leading the race for Martinez’s signature due to the obvious connection between the 24-year-old and Erik ten Hag, and now, that move is set to go ahead.
Manchester United are reportedly closing in on this move, and with Martinez rejecting Arsenal, the Red Devils have a free run at the Argentine.
The Gunners were ready to pay big money for Martinez, bidding for the South American on a number of occasions, but sadly, they were unable to convince the ‘fantastic’ player to come to the Emirates.
Martinez was reportedly sold on a move to Arsenal at one point, with Goal claiming that the centre-back was a big fan of Mikel Arteta’s philosophy, but a reunion with Ten Hag was undoubtedly the safer bet, and it looks like that’s the path Martinez is going to take.
Whether or not Arsenal now go back into the market for another left-footed defender remains to be seen, but given the fact they aggressively pursued Martinez, it’s hard to imagine they won’t be back scouring the market for a similar profile of player.
The ‘fantastic’ Ajax player will not be coming to the Emirates, but don’t be surprised if they land a similar type of footballer later in the window.
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