Arsenal: 3 reasons why Alex Grimaldo would be a good left-back alternative

3. The deal makes financial sense

Perhaps this point is undermined by Kieran Tierney’s near-constant injury struggles, but Arsenal’s defensive pursuit is primarily for deputising purposes and the availability of Grimaldo indicates his acquisition would constitute sensible business.

Reports state that the club have already tabled several lucrative offers for Martinez and may need to invest close to £50m in order to fight off Man United and secure a deal. Our interest in the Argentine stems from an appetite for strength in depth and the lack thereof cost us dearly in the final weeks of the last campaign.

However, the asking price makes him very expensive for a player not required as the cornerstone of the team and, compared to a bargain fee of £6m, Grimaldo looks like a more logical investment.

Of course, penny-pinching cannot become the object of the exercise and many would view any transfer compromise as financial gain taking precedence over football matters. But the Benfica star is a classy performer whose price is determined more so by his contract than ability, with his current contract at the Estadio da Luz set to expire next year and the remote prospect of renewal fuelling conjecture that he will soon embark on a new adventure.

The annual injury drama that engulfs Arsenal hints that any newcomer would have to be adequate for regular first-team action and, while that is something Grimaldo can still provide, the strong element of rotation in any rear-guard transaction suggests buying the cheaper player is advisable.