Martinez fined by Manchester United as JJ Gabriel exit edges closer

Manchester United have sanctioned Lisandro Martinez with a fine after the centre-back publicly criticised the club’s summer transfer activity following their Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, according to BBC Sport. The Argentina international has since issued an apology, meeting with club leadership and manager Michael Carrick to discuss the incident.

“Today I met with the club’s leadership and the manager. It was a very positive conversation, where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday’s game,” Martinez wrote on social media. “Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity.”

Martinez’s outburst came after a result that deepened United’s miserable run of form. Carrick’s side have now gone more than a month without a win in any competition and sit 13th in the Premier League, three points and six places behind Sunday’s opponents Leeds United at Elland Road.

Off the pitch, the club faces a separate headache over teenage academy prospect JJ Gabriel, who has requested United cancel his registration amid frustration at a lack of first-team opportunity. The club have been reluctant to comply, and reports suggest United are considering legal action to prevent his departure — a stance that has drawn sharp criticism.

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness described the prospect of legal action as “ridiculous” and assessed Gabriel’s situation as heavily tilted toward an exit. “I think it’s about a 30 per cent chance of him staying put and 70 per cent going to Real Madrid,” Wyness told Football Insider. “I think too much has been said and too much has gone under the bridge. Man United either didn’t act appropriately; probably last year was the time to do it.”

Wyness added: “I’ve had countless young players come through, and I’ve seen each of them develop in different ways. United are now talking about going legal. I mean, that’s ridiculous, and I think it would be the wrong way to go.”

With United potentially slipping further down the table depending on Saturday’s results elsewhere, Sunday’s trip to Leeds arrives at a critical moment for Carrick and his squad.