Arteta's message to ex-Arsenal target Martinez after controversial incident

02 September 2023 , 06:00

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Arteta's message to ex-Arsenal target Martinez after controversial incident

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta still appears to have a good relationship with Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez, despite the Argentine clattering Bukayo Saka and snubbing a move to the Gunners.

Arteta, as well as Arsenal sporting director Edu, were incredibly keen on bringing Martinez to the Emirates in the summer of 2022 as the pair looked to arm the Gunners backline with a technically gifted defender that could be deployed both as a centre-back and left-back. The North Londoners had multiple bids from Ajax rejected, much to the frustation of the Arsenal hierarchy.

Their misery was compounded when the Dutch giants proceeded to part ways with Martinez and send him packing to Arsenal's big-six rivals Manchester United. The idea of reuniting with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag was clearly too tempting for the Argentina international.

However, as Martinez gears up for a trip to a place he could have so very nearly considered his stomping ground in the Emirates, it is touching to see that he still boasts a stellar relationship with Arteta despite choosing United over Arsenal.

The pair crossed paths once again only recently, when Arsenal took on United in New York for a pre-season friendly. Ten Hag's men ran out 2-0 winners on the day, but what had many people talking after the game was a particularly brutal tackle from Martinez on Gunners poster-boy Bukayo Saka.

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It sparked a brief melee on the pitch, with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard left furious over the challenge and ended up squaring up to Martinez. However, one member from the Gunners camp who didn't seem as incensed by the incident was Arteta himself.

In fact, the Arsenal boss remained friendly enough with Martinez to enjoy a catch-up on the pitch come full-time. At first, some fans questioned whether Arteta was confronting the United defender, but the Spaniard quickly quashed any talk of a heated exchange.

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Mikel Arteta is on good terms with Lisandro Martinez despite the defender snubbing Arsenal (Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

"I was just happy to see him," the Gunners manager explained. "I know him personally and I was happy to see him back after the injury. That's it.

"Football is about the sport, it's about the people we know. We wished each other good luck for the season. That's it. It was a really good competitive game for us."

The pair will meet once again on Sunday and while the stakes are already high so early on in the season, expect another friendly embrace between Arteta and Martinez come full-time.

Josh O'Brien