Man Utd defender Lisandro Martinez is set to represent World Cup champions Argentina at this summer’s tournament.
On Sunday night, Lisandro Martinez came close to scoring an ambitious overhead kick for Argentina against Honduras in a warm-up friendly for the World Cup.
The clip of Martinez’s acrobatic attempt has amassed thousands of views on social media, despite it sailing over the bar. Interest in international football is about to peak due to the World Cup. The tournament is still the biggest stage of all, and it provides players with a platform to showcase their quality to a global audience.
That means strong performances at the World Cup puts players in the shop window and can earn them a move in club football, something Manchester United could benefit from this summer.
United are not considering selling Martinez, who became a World Cup winner with Argentina four years ago, but they ought to consider a sale if the centre-back performs so well that a decent offer is received this summer.
The argument for selling Martinez is that United’s senior centre-backs all picked up injuries at different times throughout last season, and if one centre-back has to be sold to offset a new arrival, Martinez is the only choice.
Harry Maguire signed a one-year contract extension, with the option of another year. The 33-year-old is still the best centre-back in the dressing room, and United wouldn’t receive enough to make it worth selling him.
Matthijs de Ligt last played against Crystal Palace on November 30 due to a back injury. He recently underwent surgery to address the issue, and no club would make an offer to buy a player who has not played for seven months.
United signed Leny Yoro in a £52million deal two years ago because they believed he could become one of the best defenders in the world, so selling Yoro without giving him time to fulfil that potential would be daft.
Ayden Heaven is another young centre-back. Heaven was signed for just £1million from Arsenal, which United are guaranteed to make a profit on when he eventually leaves the club, but that will not be this summer.
United would essentially pick between Martinez, De Ligt and Maguire if they had to sell a centre-back to bring in a new face, someone who would be fit and available every week, and Martinez is currently the only defender with reasonable resale value in the transfer market.
United managed to finish third in the Premier League this term, despite their centre-backs suffering injury problems, but the Reds played their fewest matches in 100 years, and the schedule will be more challenging next season.
The case to consider a sale of Martinez becomes stronger when you take a glance at the injury records of United’s senior centre-backs this season. Martinez missed the first three months of the campaign as he recovered from a knee injury.
He missed more time between February and March due to a calf injury, and has suffered from other injuries at United in the past. Maguire missed nine Premier League games between November and January with a thigh injury, while De Ligt’s season was written off due to his back issue.
Yoro only missed one game due to a hip injury, but he was sidelined in 2024/2025, and Michael Carrick’s selections since his appointment suggest the Frenchman is not in his preferred starting centre-back partnership.
Ideally, United would have a senior centre-back who is talented and available for practically every game. They will have two games per week next term, and Carrick will have a problem if his centre-back options pick up injuries, which feels likely given the fixture load and their injury records.
Carrick was forced to start Noussair Mazraoui alongside Heaven in central defence against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April. The pair performed brilliantly in a 1-0 win, but makeshift lineups won’t cut it in the Champions League.
It almost feels wrong to suggest Martinez should be sold because of his popularity and leadership at Carrington, but sometimes ruthless calls have to be made with a long-term view driving the decision.
Martinez is 28, and he’s about to enter the final year of his contract (United have the option of a 12-month extension). United could bring in someone a year or two younger, someone with a better fitness record.
Maguire and Martinez appear to be Carrick’s first choice centre-back partnership, but can he rely on that partnership to be almost always available across a busy season in which United could play 60-plus matches?
It could be time to cash in on Martinez this summer, especially if he performs well at the World Cup, which would increase his value. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.
