A move for Lisandro Martinez failed to materialise due to a thought-out transfer policy, reports the Athletic.
At one stage this Summer, a move for the Argentine international appeared to be certain.
Some outlets even reporting that the transfer was days from completion.
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However, from inside the Gunners camp, they saw things differently as soon as Manchester United entered the fray, with David Ornstein reporting that:
“As soon as Manchester United were in the equation, they went up to a level of finance Arsenal just weren’t prepared to meet."
"They didn’t think that was value for money they were looking for, for a player looking to compete with Tierney.”
From an Arsenal perspective, a refusal to be drawn into a transfer war over a squad player is smart planning.
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It would be easy to be caught up in the furore of a new signing, and pinching such a signing from under Manchester United’s noses.
Edu and Arteta saw things differently, they had a clear identity and squad profile that they wanted to fill.
An inverted full-back capable of operating in multiple positions, and they had a clear price in mind in acquiring the services of such a talent.
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It’s no coincidence then that the Gunners quickly moved on to acquiring the services of City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko, a player fitting that exact description.
In-fact, the reported fee of the imminent move (£30 million per Fabrizio Romano), is roughly the figure that Arsenal bid for Martinez initially.
The clear clarity of thought and action in transfer strategy will feel like a breath of fresh air to the Arsenal faithful.
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Fans have seen their club squander money on impulsive, short-term solutions in recent seasons.
At board level there are clearly steps being taken to avoid making the mistakes of the past.
The refusal to be drawn into a transfer war for Martinez, who ended up being sold for a potential €65 million, shows that those lessons are clearly being heeded.
A similar case took place with Leeds winger Raphinha.
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Chelsea's bid for the Brazilian went over the fee Arsenal were willing to play and the Gunners backed out. A different option for a wide winger target is expected, but has not yet been reported.
Topics: Lisandro Martinez, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Arsenal, Manchester United, Transfers