Arsenal news: £40m Lisandro Martinez bid raises serious questions about three Arteta stars | Football | Sport

Arsenal are hellbent on landing Lisandro Martinez from Ajax this summer and should the Gunners pull off a deal for the Argentina international, Mikel Arteta will have plenty to ponder in defence next term. The Spaniard has decided that he wants to strengthen across the board by prioritising the depth within his squad, something that ultimately let Arsenal down in the business end of last season as Tottenham pipped them to fourth at the death.

This time around, there’s desire to improve the competition within Arsenal’s ranks to maximise their performance – both in the Premier League and Europe.

Eyebrows were initially raised when it became clear Raphinha was of huge interest given that he plays in the same position as star man Bukayo Saka. But ultimately it was a statement of intent and an indication of what was to come as Arsenal rolled out plans for a transfer window like no other.

Arsenal want multiple options in every position as well as players that are also capable of playing in multiple roles.

That is why Martinez, specifically, is of such strong interest. The ball-playing defender can also cover at left-back as well as holding midfield.

READ MORE: Leeds ‘waiting for new Arsenal bid’ before finalising Chelsea transfer deal for Raphinha

Marseille want him permanently but Arsenal are not entertaining a sale, whatsoever. They would in fact like to tie him down to a new contract.

Yet Saliba will be keen to receive assurances of regular playing time before committing his future to the Gunners, particularly knowing he could play a prominent role for Marseille.

But should he be given the nod, it would likely see White dropped to the bench. It does not seem likely that a £50m player would become a spare part after just one season in north London.

The likes of Manchester City and Liverpool do have up to four top-quality central defenders but Arsenal are not a team that tend to rotate as willingly as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Instead, they are a team that thrive on regularity and fielding a similar XI every week.

The Europa League will of course provide opportunities to shuffle the pack but the dynamic could create some complications for Arteta.

In an ideal world, supporters are keen to see the defence built around Saliba after his exceptional performances in France.

Gabriel remains a target for Juventus but he is committed to staying with Arsenal meaning if Martinez does indeed arrive, the club are likely to keep all four defenders.

It will ensure all of them are at the top of their game and while injuries will of course provide openings to rotate, this would be unprecedented territory for Arsenal.

It’s a sign they are surely moving in the right direction under Arteta, despite the disappointment of missing out on the top four.