With Jurrien Timber increasingly likely to stay at Ajax, interested parties seem to have turned their attention to the Dutchman’s centre-back partner. Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United have all been linked with Lisandro Martínez.
The Argentinian was our highest rated defender in the Eredivisie last season. His passing is exceptional. Martínez made 92.4 passes per 90 minutes last season – more than any other player in the division – and his pass success rate of 88.9% ranked sixth in the league. In addition, his tally of 6.1 accurate long balls per 90 minutes was the fifth best of all outfielders in the Eredivisie.
Martínez helps Ajax retain possession and move the ball upfield as quickly as possible. He also excels off the ball, winning possession for his side aggressively, with 4.5 tackles and interceptions combined per 90 minutes. A left-footed centre-back seems to be a priority for a number of clubs in the Premier League this summer, so it’s no wonder they are considering Martínez.
David Raum, Hoffenheim
It’s been a whirlwind 12 months for David Raum. Having left Greuther Fürth for Hoffenheim on a free transfer last summer, the left wing-back’s stock has soared considerably. Raum made his Germany debut only last September, yet is now established as first choice for Hansi Flick’s side. Hoffenheim will have to either bat away substantial interest in their prized asset or make a hefty profit on the 24-year-old.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (90) and Filip Kostic (87) were the only full-backs to make more key passes than Raum (83) in Europe’s top five leagues last season, with Alexander-Arnold (12) the only full-back to register more assists than the German (11).
Manchester United have Luke Shaw and Alex Telles on the books but a player of Raum’s calibre would be hard to turn down. Chelsea, meanwhile, may lose Marcos Alonso and Emerson this summer, so they need another left-back.
Evan Ndicka, Eintracht Frankfurt
Tottenham’s interest in a left-sided centre-back is well known. After a failed attempt – for now – to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter, Pau Torres emerged as their top target. If they miss out on the Villarreal and Spain defender, Evan Ndicka is a good option. The 22-year-old only has a year left to run on his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt so may be available for lower than market value.
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