Manchester United are reported to have fined center back Lisandro Martínez for his public criticism of club officials earlier this week.
In the aftermath of Tuesday’s 2–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid, a furious Martínez suggested those responsible for transfers should take more of the blame for the club’s recent struggles, insisting the squad were not set up for success after an impressive end to the 2025–26 season.
A lengthy statement on social media saw Martínez acknowledge frustration may have got the better of him, but contained no apology. United had to wait until Thursday for that, with Martínez posting another statement and insisting the situation was now “behind us.”
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BBC Sport report the process of moving forward also includes a fine for Martínez, who accepted formal punishment for speaking against the hierarchy.
Manager Michael Carrick will, therefore, be free to pick Martínez for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United. Just what role the Argentina international will play remains to be seen.
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United are, understandably, keen to move on from this, but the fallout is likely to drag over well into 2027.
Central to this issue is Martínez, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the campaign. United do have the option to extend it by a further 12 months and would likely to do to preserve his value, but working out a way to keep him in the squad beyond next summer is going to be tricky, with Martínez clearly unhappy with the direction of the club.
That narrative has gone viral over the past few days and will undoubtedly have landed on the social media feeds of the world’s biggest players, some of whom would now have second thoughts about joining United if their ambitions are as lofty as those proudly boasted by Martínez.
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Resolving both issues falls on the shoulders of United’s sporting department—the very same people whose every move will now be in the spotlight. Any bump in the road would only make things worse.
Despite what those upstairs at Old Trafford might want you to think, the aftermath of Martínez’s comments will be felt for a long time. The only real ways to move on and rebuild trust is to either splash the cash in the transfer market or, more reliably, to simply start winning matches.
Pressure is unsustainably high on United and manager Michael Carrick right now. Sunday’s trip to old rivals Leeds will not provide the hospitable environment the Red Devils would appreciate right now, and any more negativity could have drastic consequences.
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