Retour
Manchester United have won only twice out of 12 games in all competitions, having already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup while languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table.
Michael Carrick has had to bear a large portion of the blame due to his tactical errors, and he was close to receiving his marching orders after the Bournemouth debacle last week.
However, INEOS opted to stick with the current head coach, who has since held clear-the-air talks with his best player, Bruno Fernandes.
A section of the fanbase will be happy with the outcome, as they feel INEOS are the main reason for the Red Devils’ downfall this season.
They failed to back the former United midfielder in the summer, a point Lisandro Martinez brought up after the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Calling out Jason Wilcox publicly led to the Argentine having to apologise, and he has not started a game since then.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements when the transfer window reopens in January.
They have Lisandro Martinez on their list of targets, along with the likes of Josko Gvardiol, Alessandro Bastoni and Natan.
“Barça had counted on some sales that would have allowed them to reinforce the back line with another center-back and full-back, but ultimately they couldn’t afford those two signings.
“Now, after two defeats against PSG and Real Madrid, the club has a clear diagnosis and wants to try to remedy the situation in the upcoming winter transfer window with an experienced center-back who can provide immediate impact.
“There are some other, more experienced and feasible options. One would be Manchester United center-back Lisandro Martínez (28 years old). The Argentine international’s contract with the English club expires next June, which would force United to sell him now if they want to recoup any money.”
Lisandro Martínez
| Stat | 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Apps | 9 |
| Minutes | 700 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 |
| Clean sheets | 1 |
The World Cup-winning United centre-back has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou in the past, but an exit seems much more plausible now given his current relationship with the club’s hierarchy and his contract situation.
The Argentina international‘s current deal expires next summer, but the Red Devils have the option of extending it by a year. They might choose to cut their losses in the winter itself.
However, Barca will be wary of the defender’s poor injury record and his anger management issues. Whether they will still go ahead with their plans remains to be seen.
Feature image Angel Martinez via Getty Images
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After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently the Deputy Managing Editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25