Manchester United Player Arrives for Talks After Criticizing Club's Transfer Policy
Lisandro Martinez returns to training and faces potential disciplinary action following a public critique of the club's transfer strategy.
Lisandro Martinez has returned to Manchester United's training ground for the first time since delivering a strong public criticism of the club's transfer policy. The player is expected to hold talks with club officials, including director of football Jason Wilcox, who was a target of Martinez's remarks.
Martinez made a televised statement shortly after Manchester United's defeat to Atletico Madrid, accusing the club's board and Wilcox of failing to adequately invest in the squad during the previous summer transfer window. Other senior players are reported to share Martinez's views.
The team had a day off following their return from Spain, but players were back at the Carrington training base on Thursday. Martinez was observed arriving around 9:50 a.m., among the last first-team players to arrive. Wilcox arrived at 9 a.m., while head coach Michael Carrick was present by 7:25 a.m.
Manchester United had been considering what action, if any, to take against the Argentina international. Sources within the club indicated they were backing Wilcox and would not make a public statement until the squad returned to training. While head coach Ruben Amorim was dismissed in January after publicly criticizing the director of football, a similar drastic measure for Martinez is considered improbable. A fine or a warning regarding his responsibilities is viewed as more likely.
Teammate Amad Diallo may also face scrutiny after posting a message on social media that read 'f***ing disgrace, I have no words,' although the specific subject of his comment remains unclear.
Martinez's presence might be necessary for the upcoming match against Leeds due to defensive injuries. Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu, and Noussair Mazraoui are sidelined, and Matthijs De Ligt recently returned to the bench after a lengthy absence due to a back injury.
Martinez's long-term future at the club is also uncertain as his contract expires at the end of June, though Manchester United holds an option to extend it by an additional year. The club is reportedly reluctant to lose a World Cup winner on a free transfer five years after his £57 million move from Ajax. They may trigger the extension to secure a transfer fee for the 28-year-old.
In his post-match interview, Martinez questioned whether the club had sufficiently backed Carrick. "I don't think so," he stated. "He does his best. You can't keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas. I expect more (investment) 100 percent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night. I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment."
Later on Wednesday evening, Martinez issued a statement attempting to clarify his comments, though not apologizing. "When I talk about wanting more, I’m talking about the ambition we must all have as part of this club," he said. "To keep growing, to become stronger and to have everything we need to compete at the highest level. These are standards we must all hold ourselves to, starting with me."
He added, "We need to demand even more of ourselves and work together to take Manchester United back to the top. I believe in my team-mates, our manager and everyone working to help this club move forward. I’m convinced that the way forward is to keep working together, with ambition and commitment. My goal has been the same since day one, to win, to compete at the highest level and to give everything I have for this badge."