Manchester United are 'confident' of beating Arsenal to Lisandro Martinez's signature and there is hope that an Old Trafford deal will be reached within the next six days, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Red Devils have entered a new era, with Erik ten Hag taking over as their boss following last season's climax, and Martinez is clearly among the names on his shortlist of targets.
GiveMeSport Transfer Update With Dean Jones
What's the latest news involving Martinez?
According to the Mirror, Manchester United have stepped up their bid to land Martinez after holding productive talks with Ajax's new director of football at the weekend.
The report suggests Klaas-Jan Huntelaar travelled to London to discuss the terms of a deal for the seven-cap Argentina international and the Red Devils, who have lodged a bid worth £39.6million, believe they are in pole position to get their man.
Ajax have slapped a £43million price tag on the central defender amid additional interest from Arsenal, who have fallen short of the Dutch giants' valuation with three bids.
The Gunners are set to meet Ajax officials for further talks in the coming days, with Martinez being given the opportunity to choose which club to join if Manchester United and Arsenal succeed in agreeing a fee.
The 24-year-old has reportedly told his current employers that he wants to move to the Premier League ahead of the September 1 transfer deadline.
What has Dean Jones said about Martinez?
Jones understands Manchester United are expecting to see off competition from Arsenal and seal Martinez's arrival at Old Trafford.
The transfer insider believes the Red Devils are looking to acquire the Argentinian before they face Liverpool in Bangkok next Tuesday.
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Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "United are confident they can beat Arsenal to this deal.
"Ideally, they want to have a deal in the bag before the pre-season tour begins."
Why is Martinez on ten Hag's list of targets?
Ten Hag knows Martinez well, having clinched silverware four times together and selected him 120 times while at the Ajax helm.
Manchester United conceded 57 goals in the Premier League last season - which is more than relegated Burnley - so it is clear the Dutchman has inherited a squad which is low on confidence defensively.
Martinez could go a long way towards making the Red Devils a more difficult side to break down as he achieved an average match rating of 7.6 last season, emphasising that he is a consistently high performer.
There is also a serious possibility that he will be a threat in the attacking third of the pitch as the centre-half registered five goal contributions during the 2021/22 campaign.