Five clubs circle as Martinez eyes exit from Manchester United with one year left on deal

Lisandro Martinez is attracting interest from five European clubs as his future at Manchester United grows increasingly uncertain, with the Argentine centre-back publicly questioning the club’s ambition and contract negotiations stalling.

Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are among those monitoring the 28-year-old, according to Spanish newspaper AS, with Serie A trio Inter Milan, Roma and Como also keeping tabs on his situation. Martinez has one year remaining on his current deal at Old Trafford, though United hold an option to extend it by a further 12 months until June 2028.

Spain is understood to be Martinez’s preferred destination should he leave United. Atletico manager Diego Simeone already has four Argentina internationals in his squad — Juan Musso, Cristian Romero, Julian Alvarez and Giuliano Simeone — and Romero has publicly named Martinez as the player he would most like to see join him at the club.

Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, could also enter the market for defensive reinforcements next summer, with the future of Jacobo Ramon potentially set to be resolved in the New Year.

Negotiations over a new deal have failed to make significant progress. The Athletic previously reported that Martinez is reluctant to extend his stay, while United also have reservations about activating their option to prolong his contract. The defender had been seeking improved terms since helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup during his first season at Old Trafford.

Martinez’s public comments following United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid appear to have sharpened the sense of a player ready to move on. Speaking after the match, he said: “Really poor performance, really poor. I have to control myself a lot. But sometimes it is the reflection, the mirror, for our club at the moment.”

He added: “A fantastic season last season, but now we are far from the top. We have to bring in more players to compete. Look at Atletico, they had an amazing team, they deserved to win. I expect more, from everyone.” When pressed on whether he expected more investment, Martinez replied: “Yes, 100 per cent.”

The remarks, directed in part at director of football Jason Wilcox, signal a significant shift in tone from a player who had previously been seen as a cornerstone of United’s rebuild.