Arsenal make £26m ‘bid’ for Oleksandr Zinchenko alternative as William Saliba finds out new role – Chris Davison

The reports linking Arsenal with attacking reinforcements have been pretty non-stop, so it was quite refreshing to see a new defensive-minded player pop up yesterday.

The Athletic revealed Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez is a player Arsenal are looking at, adding that an offer in the region of €30m (£26m) has already been rejected, though a second offer is expected. The left-footed centre-back would be viewed as competition for Gabriel Magalhaes, with Pablo Mari expected to depart.

Interestingly, Martinez can also operate as a left-back and defensive midfielder, offering plenty of versatility across and in front of the backline. This isn’t the first time the Gunners have shown interest in a versatile defender, with Mikel Arteta also said to be keen on Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Bologna’s Aaron Hickey.

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It’s clear that the Spaniard is targeting a specific profile for this area, but the reported interest in Martinez perhaps makes more sense when considering Youri Tielemans may still join despite the expected arrival of Fabio Vieira.

The 24-year-old Argentine’s style of play is far more defensive than it is attacking, he’s even nicknamed the ‘butcher’ due to his aggressive approach on the pitch, similar to that of Tottenham’s Cristian Romero. Whereas the aforementioned Zinchenko and Hickey perhaps offer more going forward, often making runs down the left-hand side or progressing play into the midfield.

Additionally, if a move for Tielemans still goes ahead, the club will already have enough attacking quality in the same position. Saying that, Zinchenko is relatively strong defensively too, but Martinez’s ability to play a central role will no doubt come as a bonus.

Meanwhile, The Athletic also say that William Saliba’s return means a new centre-back isn’t seen as a major priority, although Arsenal could move if a ‘particularly good market opportunity’ arose and Martinez appears to be just that. If Saliba stays put next season, Arteta will have at least four solid options at his disposal, those being Gabriel, Ben White, Rob Holding and of course Saliba himself excluding new arrivals.

Despite several clubs reportedly holding an interest in the Frenchman, Saliba is finally set to get his chance in red and white as things stand. What his role will be within the first-team setup remains to be seen and pre-season will no doubt give us a better idea, but his presence will undoubtedly provide the squad with much-needed competition for what is expected to be a busy season ahead.

Arsenal’s return to Europe and the introduction of five substitutions mean there will be plenty of opportunities, with extra strength in depth absolutely key if it’s to be a successful campaign for Arteta and his players.