Manchester United could resolve two issues with a single January swap deal, as head coach Michael Carrick faces mounting pressure following a poor start to the season.
Lisandro Martinez has become a problem both on and off the pitch, while the left-back position remains a concern after the club failed to sign a replacement or competition for Luke Shaw in the summer.
Martinez's Conduct and Form
Last month, Martinez criticised director of football Jason Wilcox over the club's summer business. On the pitch, he has been sent off against Chelsea after receiving two bookings, one for pulling back Morgan Rogers and another for catching Wesley Fofana with a stray arm.
The Argentine is out of contract in the summer but could leave before then, with Barcelona linked to a January move. Due to La Liga financial rules, the Catalans would need to sell a player to make room for Martinez.
Balde as a Potential Solution
According to Marca, the player most likely to be offloaded is left-back Alejandro Balde, who has been linked with United for some time. He was close to moving to Old Trafford in the summer but chose to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place.
That appears to be a losing battle, given the 23-year-old has made just three appearances and no starts for Hansi Flick's side this season. Overall, he has made 172 appearances for the club, but his future now seems to lie away from the Nou Camp. A swap deal involving Martinez and Balde could benefit all parties.
Carrick's Stance on Commitment
Some observers view Martinez's recent behaviour as a sign he is looking for a way out of Old Trafford, though Carrick insists he has no concerns about the 28-year-old's intentions.
Speaking ahead of the Champions League clash with Roma, Carrick said: "No, I've got no concerns about commitment at all. Things happen in football. Sometimes you do things, sometimes you make a decision, sometimes you make mistakes. But the commitment is not an issue for sure. I've said it before, the commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other is something I don't question at all. We need to play better, we can make better decisions, but commitment's not a thing at all."
