Arsenal have cooled their interest in Ajax star Lisandro Martinez – who is approaching a move to Manchester United — and have identified a new defensive target, according to reports.
The Gunners had made several offers to the Eredivisie champions for their Player of the Year, with manager Mikel Arteta considering the Argentine an ideal fit for his side.
Arsenal’s plan was to use Martinez as a left-back, despite playing most of his appearances for Ajax as a centre-back, while also providing cover in the defensive midfield.
That versatility was a huge draw for Arteta, although he was mainly seen as a player who could cover the injury-prone Kieran Tierney and take on the competition.
Last season Nuno Tavares often struggled when called upon, most notably being knocked out after 33 minutes against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.
Arsenal battled United to sign Martinez, but the 24-year-old would rather work under old boss Erik ten Hag again, while the Red Devils were also willing to offer a higher transfer fee.
That meant Arsenal had to go back to the drawing board to find a new defensive target and the Daily mail claim that they have now turned their attention to Mykola Matviyenko of Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Ukraine international will cost significantly less than Martinez – with Ajax turning down a £38m offer from Arsenal – and is more used to playing as a left-back.
Matvieynko is also capable of playing as a centre-back where he has most regularly appeared for the national team with Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko as first-choice left-back.
Ironically, Arsenal will face significant competition from Ajax, with director Klaus-Jan Huntelaar already meeting the Ukrainian agent as they search for a replacement for Martinez.
Shakhtar is expected to charge around £12.6million for the 26-year-old, but he is not the only option on Arsenal’s radar.
The Gunners were previously linked with a transfer for another Ukrainian, Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko, and could re-examine that deal as a transfer for Martinez appears to have failed.
Once again, Arteta was drawn to Zinchenko’s ability to play both left-back and midfield, providing cover in multiple positions.
Another player linked with a move to the Emirates is Benfica’s Alex Grimaldo – who is more of a seasoned left-back – although the club’s president, Rui Costa, downplay the speculation recently.
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