Lisandro Martinez’s future at Manchester United has been called into question after his extraordinary criticism of the club’s bosses, and there are real doubts about whether the Argentine defender’s contract will be extended when it expires next summer. United have the formal option to prolong his stay for a further year.
Martinez said: “I expect more from our technical director (meaning director of football, Jason Wilcox). We expect more from the top, from upstairs, to bring in more players to compete.”
United’s bosses have yet to decide whether to discipline the defender for his comments. It is understood that there is anger and bemusement at what he said, both in the boardroom and in the changing room, with at least one other player challenging him over his comments as the squad boarded the plane back to Manchester. It is also understood that there is no pressure on Wilcox internally regarding his position.
The implication that Martinez does not think his team-mates are good enough to compete has not gone down well with other players. Martinez remains a key part of Michael Carrick’s squad, and United’s bosses know they must handle the situation carefully.
A long-running wish to leave
Martinez has been keen on a move away from Old Trafford for some time. In the summer, he pushed for a move to Atletico Madrid, the side that beat United in the Champions League last night, so he could follow his good friend and international team-mate, Cristian Romero, who left Spurs for Spain. No suitable bid for Martinez came in for United to consider.
The 28-year-old made similar explosive comments about his bosses when he was at Ajax in 2022, when he again wanted to leave. He called their sporting director, Gerry Hamstra, a “nobody”.
A defence under strain
United will focus on revamping their defence in the next transfer windows, and it is understood they are looking at new centre-backs as well as left-backs. A rift could cause serious problems for a defence already blighted by injury and suspension.
Ayden Heaven started out of position at left-back against Atletico. Leny Yoro was sent off at the Metropolitano Stadium and will now face a one-game European ban. The 33-year-old Harry Maguire’s game-time is being managed to avoid overloading. Luke Shaw is out injured with a non-specified return date, and his other options in the role, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui, are also absent with fitness issues.
Why can’t Man Utd spend big?
“Man Utd aren’t the powerhouse of world football they once were. Yes, they made record revenues of £678m, but they still made a pre-tax loss of £47m and are paying interest on loans of £70m.
“We know they’ve got huge debts to the Glazers. They don’t have the huge amounts to spend that Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea do, for example.
“They’ve come up with a very specific transfer strategy. Two summers ago it focused on the frontline, and this summer was about midfield, because they only had Kobbie Mainoo left as their one senior midfielder when Casemiro left.
“By the way, the three midfielders they brought in all started last night. £156m was spent on them, and they’re all integral to Man Utd going forward.
“In the next transfer window, they’ll focus on defence. But a lot of fans have been asking how they can get through this season with Luke Shaw as their only senior left-back.
“It’s a fair argument. Man Utd will say they wouldn’t spend money on a stopgap when they’re going to sign a new left-back in the summer, because we’d be left with players on big wages who aren’t going to play. They couldn’t afford Myles Lewis-Skelly or Lewis Hall, who are their real targets in that position.
“There’s a jarring at the moment between Man Utd’s financial reality and their strategy going forward. They won’t listen to the noise from supporters, but it doesn’t change the fact that they are quite understandably frustrated some of their rivals are going out and spending big when they just cannot do that right now.”
Merson: a sad situation
“First of all, you have to have a good defence. If you’re not solid in defence, it’s all going to fall apart. You don’t build a house on a puddle, and it’s the same with a football team.
“I like Carlos Baleba from Brighton, but he’s young. Youri Tielemans, I’m a fan of. But I was a bit shocked by the Andrey Santos signing, I’m not going to lie. I’m a big Chelsea fan, and I didn’t see anything last season to the point where Man Utd sign him and I go: ‘What a signing.’ I didn’t get that one.
“It’s sad that Manchester United can’t afford these players. They’re one of the biggest clubs in world football and they’re not able to afford a Myles Lewis-Skelly or a Lewis Hall. It’s quite sad, really, where Man Utd have gone to now from where they were 20 years ago, when they were one of the greatest teams we’ve seen. It’s sad, very sad.
“They shouldn’t be there. They probably sell more shirts than anyone else. Their club shop is just as big as Selfridges. If you go anywhere in the world, people have Man Utd shirts on. It’s sad, the way it’s gone.
“Other teams are buying one player for the amount of money United are spending on three midfield players. We all know that the more money you spend on a player, more often than not they’re going to be a better player. Man Utd are in that ‘looking for deals’ situation. They’re the Arthur Daley of the top teams at the moment. They’re wheeling and dealing, and other teams are buying the already-made product. Man Utd are buying players who might be good.”