Lisandro Martinez’s criticism of Manchester United’s recruitment is already blowing up inside the club. According to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, a fine for the Argentine is considered inevitable. On the flight home from Madrid, Sky Sports reports, one of his own teammates told him to his face what he thought of the comments.
The confrontation came hours after Manchester United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday 13 October. Martinez used his post-match interviews to attack senior figures by name.
“I expect more from our technical director,” he said, naming director of football Jason Wilcox directly. “We expect more from the top, from upstairs, to bring in more players to compete.”
He also defended head coach Michael Carrick while pushing the blame upwards.
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“You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas?” Martinez said.
“For me, we do not have the best squad at the moment compared to other top teams.”
“I will not close my mouth.”
Jacobs: he is not alone
The identity of the teammate on the plane has not been reported. Several players were said to be unhappy with Martinez airing his complaints in public, but the complaints themselves are not his alone.
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Broadcaster Ben Jacobs has reported that the frustration goes well beyond one defender’s outburst.
“Lisandro Martinez one of multiple players unhappy with Manchester United business over the summer. Comments not just made in the heat of the moment, and backed up by others in the dressing room,” Jacobs wrote.
The longer-term fallout is already visible. Martinez’s current contract runs to the end of the 2026-27 season, with United holding a one-year club option. Whitwell has described the chance of him signing beyond that as “remote in the extreme”.
Carrick keeps the door shut
Carrick was asked about the interviews the morning after Atletico.
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“I have not seen it so I don’t think it is the right time,” he told reporters. “We all care and show that in different ways but now is the time to be together and work through.”
Manchester United’s next fixture is away at Leeds, at Elland Road on Sunday.
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