Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez can reportedly expect a significant pay rise ahead of the 2023-24 season as a reward for his impressive performances.
The former Ajax man initially struggled to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League last year, having followed Erik ten Hag to Manchester in a £50.4m deal.
Martinez snubbed interest from Arsenal to reunite with Ten Hag, who had previously used the Argentine as a left-back in the Eredivisie, but he was quickly instilled as a centre-back at Old Trafford.
Amid concerns over his 5ft 9in frame, Martinez came under criticism for a pair of shaky opening displays in Man United's first two defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.
However, the 25-year-old has enjoyed a marked upturn in fortunes since the summer and has turned out 45 times in all tournaments for the Red Devils, scoring once against Arsenal in the Premier League.
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As well as playing the full 90 in February's EFL Cup final win over Newcastle United, Martinez started 24 games in the Premier League and nine in the Europa League, forming an effective partnership with Raphael Varane before sustaining a season-ending foot injury.
Martinez's fractured metatarsal brought about a bittersweet end to a positive debut season in England, and The Sun reports that the defender's basic wage will be bumped up considerably this summer.
Upon his arrival at the Theatre of Dreams last summer, Martinez penned a five-year contract until the summer of 2027, and he is believed to be pocketing a weekly salary of £120,000 per week.
The report adds that Man United have no plans to extend his current contract, but Ten Hag is pushing to increase his wage to £170,000 per week, a hike of £50,000.
However, Martinez's bumper pay rise will not come into effect until the club's ownership situation is resolved as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani bid to wrestle control from the Glazer family.
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Ratcliffe is understood to be on the brink of a takeover as the protracted process enters its final stages, but Man United's transfer and contract plans remain in limbo while the sale remains incomplete.
Thanks to the form of Martinez and Varane, the likes of Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire have played second fiddle this season, and the Red Devils could undergo a defensive reshuffle this summer.
Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are both expected to leave at the end of next month, while Maguire may be forced to seek a move elsewhere to benefit his chances of an England call-up for Euro 2024, assuming that the Three Lions qualify.
Lindelof has deputised impressively alongside makeshift defender Luke Shaw in recent weeks during Varane and Martinez's absences, and despite interest from Inter Milan, Man United are thought to be preparing to trigger an option to extend his contract.
Goals from Anthony Martial and Alejandro Garnacho propelled Ten Hag's men to a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, moving them four points clear of Liverpool in fourth place in the Premier League table.
Ben Knapton
