Manchester United have reportedly issued a transfer ultimatum to Lisandro Martinez amid his ongoing fitness problems. The club want the Argentine defender to prove his ability to stay fit or risk being sold next summer, according to talkSPORT.
Martinez's fitness struggles
Erik ten Hag brought Martinez to Old Trafford in a £57m deal from Ajax in 2022, having worked with the defender at the Dutch club. Despite concerns from pundits over his physique and how he would cope in the Premier League, the 28-year-old impressed in his first season, making 45 appearances and helping United win the Carabao Cup.
Since then, Martinez has struggled to stay fit, missing 65 Premier League games over the past three seasons due to various injury setbacks. He enjoyed a consistent run in the team in the second half of last season, but another injury during Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain hampered his preparations for the new campaign.
Contract situation and current role
Martinez was an unused substitute in Manchester United's Premier League opener against Hull City on Saturday and will hope to get some minutes when fellow newly-promoted Ipswich Town visit Old Trafford this weekend.
The 2022 World Cup winner has entered the final year of his contract at United, but club bosses have the option to extend his deal by another 12 months. It is not guaranteed that they will choose to activate that clause, however, leaving Martinez facing a 'fight' to save his Red Devils career. While Old Trafford chiefs rate Martinez highly, they want him to prove his fitness or risk being sold.
Pundit calls for defensive reinforcements
Wayne Rooney has repeatedly urged Manchester United to sign a new centre-back this summer, while Gary Neville fears Michael Carrick's options at the back are 'not good enough'.
'What that result highlighted is that the Man United defence isn't good enough,' Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast after the shock opening defeat to Hull. 'To be fair the club probably know that, they rebuilt the forward line last summer and rebuilt the midfield this summer with a few signings. I don't know if they've got the money or not but they do need a centre-back, and they do need full-backs. They just do. There's no other way of putting it really. That was highlighted yesterday.'
Rooney, meanwhile, said on Stick to United: 'I'd like to see another centre-back, I'd like to see another central midfield player and another centre forward. So I think there's still a lot of work there to be done, but I think it's really important that the players they do bring in, they get it right and they get the right players in.'
