Lisandro Martinez Set for Manchester United Exit as Contract Decision Looms

Lisandro Martinez is set to leave Manchester United next summer as the club triggers his one-year contract option to secure a sale.

Manchester United are moving towards a decisive summer reshuffle at the back, with Lisandro Martinez increasingly likely to depart. According to the Daily Mail, the Argentine defender is vulnerable as a broader defensive overhaul gathers pace at the end of the season.

Player: Lisandro Martinez, centre-back, joined from Ajax for £57 million in 2022
Contract: Current deal expires at the end of June; United hold a one-year extension option
Plan: Trigger the option and seek a sale next summer
Replacement target: Jarrad Branthwaite, after Everton rejected bids up to £50 million in 2024
Also leaving? Harry Amass expected to depart in January after limited first-team opportunities
Managerial stance: No push to change head coach; confidence in Jason Wilcox intact

Contract situation and the planned exit

Martinez’s situation has become one of the more notable contract stories at Old Trafford. His current deal expires at the end of June, and United do not want to lose a player of his profile for nothing. That leaves a practical route: trigger the one-year option and seek a sale next summer.

Reportedly, Martinez’s recent criticism of United’s summer transfer work created external noise and led to internal punishment, followed by an apology. However, the Daily Mail makes clear this is not viewed as the central reason behind his possible exit. The bigger issue is contractual and strategic.

Martinez has delivered quality when available and has been a regular presence on the left side of central defence since arriving from Ajax for £57 million in 2022. Yet availability remains a serious part of the conversation. His latest thigh problem at Elland Road only sharpened the concern around a player who has already spent long periods sidelined during his time in Manchester.

Defensive rebuild: Branthwaite, Shaw and Maguire

If Martinez does move on, it would fit into a wider refresh that may also involve decisions on Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire. Shaw is approaching the end of his deal after more than a decade at the club, while Maguire’s contract contains an extension option. Neither case appears fully settled yet, leaving United with several moving parts in one area of the squad.

That helps explain why Jarrad Branthwaite remains firmly in the thinking. United previously saw bids rejected by Everton in 2024, with offers worth up to £50 million failing to land the defender. The interest has clearly not disappeared. Branthwaite’s age, Premier League experience and profile as a left-sided centre-back make him an obvious candidate if United decide to act decisively.

One point of stability concerns Matthijs de Ligt. Despite a difficult period with injury and a long absence after back surgery, there is said to be no uncertainty around his future. United still view him as part of the longer-term picture, and his contract running to 2029 reinforces that confidence.

Managerial and executive picture

There was also clarification around the managerial and executive situation. Speculation over a meeting between Michael Carrick and Jason Wilcox at Carrington on Monday was wide of the mark, with the report stating that no such summit took place. That matters because it cuts through some of the noise that has followed a poor run of results and growing scrutiny on the football leadership.

United have gone six games without a win, and that inevitably creates pressure. Wilcox has been questioned after Martinez’s public comments, while Carrick is enduring a difficult start in league terms. Even so, the indication is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s confidence in Wilcox remains intact, and there is no push to change the head coach at this stage.

Clubs in this position can become reactive, but the current mood appears more measured than some headlines suggest. United may be preparing for change in personnel, especially in defence, while resisting the temptation to make broader upheaval in the dugout.

Harry Amass set for January departure

Another situation to watch is Harry Amass. There is growing expectation that the 19-year-old will leave in January after finding first-team opportunities extremely limited. Despite injuries around the left-back position, he has barely featured, and several players from other roles have been trusted ahead of him.

United were open to solutions in the summer and may now revisit them, whether as a loan or permanent departure. A number of Championship clubs are reported to be interested, and the next window looks like a key moment for the player. For a young full-back who benefited from senior exposure at Sheffield Wednesday, sitting still would make little sense.

Why United are right to be ruthless

This all feels painfully familiar. Every time there is talk of a reset, the same themes appear: contracts running down, injuries shaping decision-making, and another summer where the back line needs major surgery. Martinez has had quality, heart and presence when fit, and nobody could question his commitment. The problem is that United cannot keep building around players who spend too much time unavailable, however popular they are.

If the plan is to trigger an extension and sell, that is simply sensible squad management. Letting him walk for nothing would be negligent. The same goes for the uncertainty around Shaw and Maguire. Sentiment has hung around this squad for too long, and it has cost the club repeatedly. Hard calls are overdue.

Branthwaite makes sense on paper, but everyone knows what happens when United circle a target for too long. The price rises, the saga drags on, and the club ends up looking unconvincing. If he is the right profile, move quickly and get it done. If not, identify the next one and act like a properly run football club.

The Amass situation is frustrating too. If he is not trusted even in an injury crisis, then he has to go and play somewhere. Young players cannot develop on the bench while makeshift options jump ahead of them. At least the update on Kai Rooney gives supporters something to watch with interest. Right now, any sign of coherent planning, whether in recruitment or development, would be a welcome change.

Talking points

Should United sell Martinez or keep him as a squad option? His injury record suggests cashing in is the pragmatic choice.
Is Branthwaite worth another £50m+ bid after Everton rejected that figure in 2024? United risk another long saga.
Carrick’s start has been poor but Ratcliffe’s backing buys time. How long before patience runs out?
Harry Amass barely featuring despite left-back injuries raises questions about youth development at Old Trafford.

What happens next

United must decide on Martinez’s one-year option before his contract expires at the end of June. The January transfer window is the next key date for Amass, with Championship clubs reportedly interested. A summer move for Branthwaite remains on the agenda, but Everton’s stance will determine whether United act quickly or face another protracted pursuit.