Barcelona eye out-of-contract Martinez as United rift over Wilcox comments deepens

Barcelona are monitoring Lisandro Martinez as a potential January transfer target, with the Manchester United defender’s contract expiring at the end of the season and his relationship with the club strained following a public outburst directed at technical director Jason Wilcox.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Martinez is one of four centre-back options Barcelona are assessing to strengthen their backline. Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol is reported to be their preferred choice, but any deal for the Croatian is considered difficult to execute. Martinez, 28, is viewed as a far more realistic option, partly because his contract situation gives United limited leverage — January represents the club’s final opportunity to command a transfer fee before he becomes a free agent.

The tension stems from comments Martinez made after United’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid earlier this month. Speaking candidly, he said: “We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well. I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night.”

Martinez has since apologised for the remarks. United manager Michael Carrick moved to draw a line under the episode, saying: “It’s done really. We’ve moved on from that. Licha has come out and acknowledged the situation and, as a group, we have moved on. There’s no drama for us as a group.”

Carrick added: “Licha has given a statement and acknowledged that it was a mistake from him. That was it really. We understand the situation that came up after the game but we feel that has been dealt with.”

United do hold an option to extend Martinez’s contract by a further year, and it has previously been reported the club are weighing that clause as a means of securing a higher fee in any future sale. Whether they exercise it may now hinge on how seriously Barcelona — or other suitors — pursue a deal in the winter window.

Martinez joined United from Ajax in 2022 under then-manager Erik ten Hag and has made 119 appearances for the club across all competitions. Injuries and inconsistent form have punctuated his time at Old Trafford, limiting his impact despite early promise. Barcelona’s other reported defensive targets include Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Real Betis defender Natan.