Manchester United central defender Lisandro Martinez had intended his public outburst against the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, with the Argentine star interested in a move to Atletico Madrid, according to a report.
Martinez hammered Wilcox after Man Utd’s 2-0 defeat to Atletico in Spain in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The Argentina international central defender backed Man Utd manager Michael Carrick and blamed Wilcox for not doing enough in the summer transfer window to strengthen the team.
Man Utd signed Karl Darlow, Carlos Baleba, Kit Margetson, Cristian Orozco, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Tynan Thompson in the summer of 2026.
Of those signings, Darlow, Baleba, Santos and Tielemans are for the first team.
What Lisandro Martinez said in Man Utd outburst
Martinez told Amazon Prime: “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.
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“Atletico have an amazing team and they deserved to win today.
“I expect more [investment]. 100%. 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.
“Tonight it is easy to [blame] the coach, easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.”
The Argentine defender added: “You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? I can’t say more.
READ MORE: Senior Man Utd stars react to Lisandro Martinez blasting Jason Wilcox
“Last season we did everything, we created the base to create an amazing team.”
The defender added on CBS Sports: “We have many games, we have to rotate players, and for me we don’t have the best squad compared to other top teams.
“As a club, I expect more. I’m not gonna close my mouth; we need to have more ambition.
“I try to be positive and try to be honest. We have to change and do more because I think we are capable of being better. We have the players.
“But also, when you watch the games on television, you see the players and the manager and you point the finger, which is right, we take the responsibility. But also, as a club, I expect more, you know?
“I expect more. I’m not going to close my mouth.
“We need more ambition. We need to talk more about winning the Champions League and winning the Premier League. If we don’t say the truth, nothing will change.”
Lisandro Martinez wants Atletico Madrid move
It has now emerged that Martinez’s public criticism was motivated by his desire to leave Man Utd.
Martinez is under contract at Man Utd until the end of the season, although there is an option to extend it by a further year.
According to journalist Dean Jones in FlashScore, Man Utd will review Martinez’s comments internally before making a decision.
Jones, who has over 126,000 followers on X, wrote: “Martinez seems unlikely to extend his current contract, which expires in the summer of 2027, and this season could prove to be his last in Manchester.
“United have already been considering the future of the 28-year-old, and the latest developments could accelerate the process.
“Some sources have suggested to Flashscore that Martinez’s outburst may have been intended, at least in part, to help establish the situation before the end of the season. However, his precise intentions remain unclear.”
Jones has added that Atletico are interested in Martinez, who himself is open to the prospect of playing for Diego Simeone’s side.
The reporter noted: “Diego Simeone’s team have held an interest in Martinez as a potential signing when he next becomes available, while the defender has an interest in playing in LaLiga.
“A move to Atletico is understood to be an attractive prospect for the Argentine.”
Sky Sports have reported that Martinez could leave Man Utd.
The defender had been keen on leaving Old Trafford for some time, and given his outburst on Tuesday evening, his future at the Premier League club is now in doubt.
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