Manchester United have reportedly approached Atletico Madrid to see whether they’d be interested in signing Lisandro Martinez.
Atleti already has a five-man-strong Argentine contingent, and they could well add the centre-half to reinforce Diego Simeone’s backline.
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The report comes courtesy of El Chiringuito TV, which states that Martinez has been offered to the Spanish giants.
🚨 LISANDRO MARTÍNEZ ha sido OFRECIDO al ATLÉTICO DE MADRID.
✍️ El jugador acaba contrato con el Manchester United en 2027.
ℹ️ @inakivdl pic.twitter.com/CgwzU6hY7Z
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) July 13, 2026
It’s perhaps come as a surprise to United supporters, given the 28-year-old is one of the first names on the teamsheet when fit.
However, from INEOS’ perspective, they are seemingly thinking it’s better to cash in now while his value is so high before he enters the final season of his contract in 2026/2027.
We keep growing. This is the way to go, team. Come on, Red Devils! 🔴👹 @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/wxxZ6GrdTn
— Lisandro Martinez (@LisandrMartinez) February 7, 2026
Martinez’s terms are due to expire next June, and while the club do have the option of extending his stay by an additional 12 months, there will be concerns over the fact that he has yet to sign a new deal.
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In addition, his injury record since signing for the Reds leaves much to be desired – even Martinez himself previously said it has made him consider retiring.
The 2022 World Cup winner, who’s poised to start Argentina’s semi-final clash with England tonight, has yet to oversee an injury-free campaign at Old Trafford.
Argentina are back in front in extra time! 🇦🇷
Lisandro Martínez rifles it into the top of the net to regain the lead in Miami pic.twitter.com/I5C5bngMuc
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 4, 2026
Across his four seasons in M16, Martinez has been limited to only 76 Premier League appearances, 65 of which were as a starter.
In turn, he has been ruled out of a whopping 65 league matches, making him far too unreliable to depend upon throughout the course of a season, especially with Champions League action now being added to the schedule.
United paid £56.7 million to sign the Gualeguay native from Ajax in 2022. It remains to be seen how much they now believe he’s worth.
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