Lisandro Martinez: Man Utd defender in squad for Leeds trip and situation resolved after criticism of hierarchy, insists Michael Carrick
Lisandro Martinez is set to be in Manchester United’s squad for Sunday's trip to Leeds United after he apologised for the public nature of his outburst about the club's hierarchy.
Head coach Michael Carrick insisted the situation has been resolved and that "we have moved on" in a press conference dominated by questions about Martinez after he called out director of football Jason Wilcox over a lack of investment in transfer window.
Martinez, whose outspoken comments came after Tuesday's 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, met the club's hierarchy, including Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada, and Carrick, on Thursday before making an apology.
Asked about Martinez on Friday ahead of Sunday's trip to Leeds, live on Sky Sports, Carrick said: "He's released his statement and realised he made a mistake.
"That's enough for us to move on with. From our point of view, the acknowledgement of what's been done is enough to move on."
United legends Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville have criticised Martinez for his comments, questioning what impact it might have on the club's dressing room.
But Carrick was adamant that the impact on the squad has been minimal.
"We've moved on from that," said the United boss. "As a group we've moved on. It's really not a drama for the group. The squad have trained really well and they are in good spirits.
"It was pretty simple. We understood the situation. Licha understood he made a mistake. We have a really good felling from the club. Results wise it hasn't gone our way, but the spirit and togetherness. We can see in the group we want to do something with this situation.
"We've moved on. Genuinely. There is a freshness about the group."
Sky Sports' Pete Gill:
"As a player, Michael Carrick was unflustered and calm.
"In Friday's press conference, he has been no different. He offered a straight bat to the inevitable questions about Martinez and only seem ruffled when it was suggested that he needed a result against Leeds - "we need a result" interjected the United head coach.
"Ultimately, though, United's talking needs to be on the pitch. And if there was one jarring note in the presser, it was Carrick's insistence that all is well at United that stood out. United are not, in his words, "in a good place". They can only be if they arrest their alarming slump in form, starting at Leeds on Sunday."
Sky Sports News' Football Correspondent Rob Dorsett:
There are real doubts about whether Martinez's contract will be extended when it expires in the summer.
Manchester United will focus on revamping their defence in the next transfer windows and have the formal option to prolong Martinez's stay for a further year.
Sky Sports News has been told United are looking at new centre-backs, as well as left-backs.
It is also understood that there is no pressure on Wilcox internally regarding his position.
Martinez has been keen on a move away from Old Trafford for some time.
In the summer, he pushed for a move to Atletico Madrid, the side that beat United in the Champions League on Tuesday night, to follow his good friend and international team-mate, Cristian Romero, who left Spurs for Spain.
No suitable bid for Martinez came in for Manchester United to consider.
The 28-year-old made similar explosive comments about his bosses when at Ajax in 2022. Martinez, who again wanted a move away, called their sporting director Gerry Hamstra a "nobody".
Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.
- Last
News by day
16 of October 2026
