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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has struggled with injuries this season, but he remains a key figure under caretaker manager Michael Carrick. The Argentine was brought to Old Trafford by former manager Erik ten Hag and has been a fine addition to the first team squad.<\/p>\n
Martinez was a first team regular under the Dutch manager and has retained that importance under his successors. Ten Hag was replaced by Ruben Amorim in November 2024, with the Red Devils subsequently shifting to a 3-4-3 system.<\/p>\n
The Argentine made the left-sided centre-back position his own, with his exquisite abilities on the ball, his reading of the game, and his aggression making him indispensable to the side. After the Portuguese head coach was removed from his position in January, United reverted to a back four under caretaker manager Michael Carrick.<\/p>\n
Martinez played a vital role in United\u2019s outstanding start under the Englishman, playing every minute of the first five games, picking up four wins and a draw. Unfortunately, he picked up a calf injury, and then picked up a straight red card upon his return in the 2-1 defeat against Leeds.<\/p>\n
Martinez has been one of the league\u2019s finest in his position when fit, but he has struggled with injury issues during his time at the Theatre of Dreams. The 28 year old has missed 90 games for club and country with various knocks since joining United. <\/p>\n
Martinez ruptured his ACL in February last year and missed much of the first half of this season. He has registered just 17 appearances in all competitions this campaign, 12 of which have been starts. <\/p>\n
| Competition<\/th>\n | Appearances<\/th>\n | Starts<\/th>\n | Goals<\/th>\n | Assists<\/th>\n | Yellow Cards<\/th>\n | Red Cards<\/th>\n | Minutes Played<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League<\/td>\n | 16<\/td>\n | 11<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | 1,051′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| FA Cup<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 79′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| EFL Cup<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n| 17<\/strong><\/td>\n | 12<\/strong><\/td>\n | –<\/strong><\/td>\n | –<\/strong><\/td>\n | –<\/strong><\/td>\n | 1<\/strong><\/td>\n | 1,130′<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | With Matthijs de Ligt also sidelined since December with a back injury, the Argentine\u2019s fitness issues have posed a problem of late. Carrick had to famously opt for an unorthodox centre-back pairing of Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven against Chelsea in April, but it is to the duo\u2019s credit that they came away with a 1-0 win.<\/p>\n Martinez\u2019s situation has led to questions regarding his future, especially since he will enter the final year of his contract this summer. The Argentine has now shed light on his future plans. <\/p>\n Speaking recently, as cited by The Capital<\/em>Martinez expressed regret about not playing longer for his boyhood club Newell\u2019s Old Boys. He said: \u201cWith Newell\u2019s, I was left with a nagging feeling that I could have kept playing there because I made my first-team debut there and then never did again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The Argentine went on to express a desire to return to Rosario, adding: \u201cIn football, you can\u2019t say \u2018I\u2019m going to go back here or there\u2019; all sorts of things can happen. I\u2019d like to go back, but whatever happens, happens.\u201d <\/p>\n Martinez rose through the ranks at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa and broke into the senior side in 2017. He was sent out on loan to Defensa y Justicia the same year before joining the Buenos Aires club permanently in 2018 and moving to Ajax the following year. <\/p>\n While Martinez\u2019s abilities make him an asset for United, the player\u2019s injury troubles remain a concern. However, a previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that the Red Devils are not considering his departure this summer. <\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 Lisandro Martinez is a real tone-setter at United. Multiple Carrington insiders have reported over the previous four years how standards in training RISE when he is available. <\/p>\n He brings an INTENSITY, aggression, and competitiveness to the training ground that forces\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/eC9VEnEF3i<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 UtdTruthful (@Utdtruthful) May 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n The Peoples Person has been one of the world\u2019s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n |