Man Utd player ‘working hard to save his career’ as the club gets ready to make a tough decision
Manchester United have some important decisions to make in the last week of the transfer window. One player is reportedly fighting to keep his career on track.
The Red Devils had a tough start to their Premier League season on Saturday, losing 2-0 to newly promoted Hull City. Michael Carrick’s team was caught off guard twice on set pieces, as Hull took advantage of United’s struggles with dead-ball situations.
This poor performance has made United even more eager to bring new players in before the window closes. Carlos Baleba is close to a £70 million move from Brighton to Old Trafford after a medical over the weekend. Carrick also wants to strengthen the squad at left-back and forward.
While bringing new players in is important, Man United might also let more players go before the September 1 deadline. They’ve already sold Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Radek Vitek, Altay Bayindir, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.
According to talkSPORT, defender Lisandro Martinez is in a tough spot, trying to save his Manchester United career after a tough time with injuries since joining from Ajax for £57 million in 2022.
Martinez’s current contract runs until 2027, and the club can extend it by one more year. But after that, his future is uncertain. People at Carrington want to see him stay healthy and perform well, or he might be sold next summer.
The Argentine has missed almost 80 Premier League games due to injuries during his four years at the club. Despite this, fans affectionately call him ‘The Butcher’ and would be sad to see him leave.
He was an unused substitute in the recent loss to Hull, just coming back from a muscle strain he got during Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain a bit over a month ago.
When fully fit, Martinez is one of United’s best centre-backs, but injuries have stopped him from showing that regularly. In February 2025, he had his worst injury—a torn ACL against Crystal Palace—keeping him out for nine months.
He came back last November against the same team, playing the last eight minutes in a 2-1 win. That ACL injury kept him out for 292 days, the longest time he’s missed in his career. He also had a foot injury that sidelined him for 106 days from September 2023 to January 2024.
Transfermarkt says Martinez has missed 102 games for club and country with injuries, making him one of the least reliable players in the squad.
Maybe the 2026/27 season will be his last chance to stay fit and play at his best. If he does, the club might offer him a new deal. Until then, United will have a big decision to make about his future, and him leaving looks more likely.