Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is a long-time admirer of Martins and
has been linked consistently with a move for the Nigerian
international over the past two seasons.
The time could not be riper for the Frenchman to seal a deal, as
his squad would be alarmingly bereft of firepower should Emmanuel
Adebayor succumb to the advances of AC Milan.
But The Sun reports Magpies are demanding ₤15million for
the 23-year-old – a price Wenger is not prepared to match.
Meanwhile, the former Internazionale hitman has grown weary of the
constant speculation surrounding his future, having also been
linked with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and
Barcelona.
A source close to Martins said: “Oba just doesn’t know what’s going
on any more.
“He loves the Toon fans so much but one minute Newcastle are
desperate for him to stay, the next they are trying to sell
him.
“But he would love to play for Arsene Wenger.”