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LONDON. — Manchester United have confirmed the £56.7m signing of Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez on a five-year contract.
United have paid a guaranteed €57.37m (£48.3m) for the Argentina international, with an additional €10m (£8.4m) in add-ons agreed between the two clubs. The move sees Martinez link up again with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who signed him for the club in 2019, at Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year contract in Manchester, with the option of a further 12 months, which would take him beyond his 30th birthday.
“It’s an honour to join this great football club,” Martinez said. “I’ve worked so hard to get to this moment and now that I’m here I’m going to push myself even further.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be part of successful teams in my career and that’s what I want to continue at Manchester United. There will be a lot of work to get to that moment, but I firmly believe that under this manager and coaches, and together with my new teammates, we can do it.
“I want to thank Ajax and their fans for all the support they gave me. I had an unbelievable time there but feel the moment is right to test myself in another environment. Now I am at the perfect club to do that.”
Martinez arrived at United’s Carrington training base on Tuesday alongside fellow new signing Christian Eriksen, who completed a free transfer earlier this month after his Brentford contract expired.
l West Ham have signed Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo in a £30,5m deal.
Scamacca joins the English Premier League club on a five-year contract with the option to extend another year.
The 23-year-old was the second-highest Italian scorer in Serie A last season with 16 goals from 36 games.
“I’ve waited a long time for this moment — it’s been a dream to play in the Premier League,” he said.
“I am really excited to join West Ham — I feel like they are the perfect team for me. They showed they really wanted me and when I spoke to the manager there was an instant understanding.
“I can’t wait to play and show the supporters what I can do in the West Ham shirt — I hope we will love each other.”
The forward, who was also linked with Paris St Germain and Juventus, spent time in the academies of both Lazio and Roma before moving to PSV Eindhoven, where he spent 18 months, then returning to Italy to join Sassuolo.
A towering presence at 6ft 5in, Scamacca has earned seven international caps, including a start in Italy’s 0-0 Nations League draw with England at Molineux in June.
He becomes West Ham’s fourth addition of the summer transfer window following the signing of defender Nayef Aguerd, midfielder Flynn Downes, and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
However, 26-year-old Morocco international Aguerd, signed from French club Rennes last month, has since had surgery on an ankle injury sustained in the club’s pre-season friendly against Rangers.
Hammers boss David Moyes has spent the close season trying to bolster his forward options and was in talks with Chelsea’s Armando Broja.
“We’ve been looking to add more strength to our attacking options for a while, so we’re delighted to have got Gianluca in,” said Moyes.
“He comes really well recommended — and we’re looking forward to working with him.
“He’s a young centre-forward with a really bright future ahead of him.”
West Ham also made an offer to Jesse Lingard but the England forward, 29, decided to join promoted Nottingham Forest on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United at the end of his contract.
West Ham reached the Europa League semi-finals last season while finishing seventh in the Premier League to again qualify for Europe, They host champions Manchester City in their first game of the season. — BBC Sport
l Chelsea are reportedly plotting a swoop for Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana after missing out on Jules Kounde. The Blues have suffered a major transfer blow with the news that Barcelona look set to snatch the Sevilla star from under their noses.
They had agreed a £55million deal for the France international, 23, and hoped to finally end their year-long chase of the defender.
But Barcelona moved to usurp them — leaving Thomas Tuchel searching for an alternative.
He is desperate for reinforcements after losing both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen for nothing after both of their respective contracts expired.
He has managed to bolster his backline after bringing in Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
l Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong would only leave Barcelona for Chelsea but the London club are not prepared to pay as much as Manchester United for the 25-year-old.
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says he does not know who “invented” the story linking Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish side and that it is “practically impossible” the 37-year-old Portugal international will join them.
l Newcastle United are interested in 26-year-old Chelsea and Germany striker Timo Werner.
l Juventus will look at Werner and Manchester United and France forward Anthony Martial, 26, if they cannot complete the capture of Spain striker Alvaro Morata, 29, from Atletico Madrid. — Wires
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