Manchester United could have Lisandro Martínez back on the pitch as soon as October according to a new report.
The diminutive yet talismanic centre back has been sidelined since tearing his ACL on the first Sunday of February. Martínez had to undergo surgery on his left knee that month but managed to avoid serious damage to his meniscus.
The Argentina international was part of the squad which travelled to the U.S. for United’s pre-season tour and has been spotted back in training this season. Martínez is planning his return for some point between late October and early November according to the well-placed journalist Gastón Edul.
As ever, concerns over rushing Martínez back to action before he is physically prepared are raised and the report suggests that the defender is taking each step with this summer’s World Cup in mind. Martínez was part of the squad which lifted the global title in 2022 and had established himself as first-choice by the time Argentina lifted the 2024 Copa América after conceding just one goal in six matches.
United will also be desperately keen to have their star centre back available once again.
The Red Devils have endured a woeful start to the new campaign. Head coach Ruben Amorim has spoken about quitting more frequently than victories as United are now deemed to be statistically more likely to get relegated than finish in the Premier League top five.
Amorim’s insistence on sticking with his cherished 3-4-2-1 formation hasn’t helped United’s attempts to steer out of their current spiral. The way this system exposes the midfield pairing is a key factor in the club’s failure to keep a clean sheet this season, but the awkwardness of the defensive trio doesn’t particularly help the situation. In a painful twist of misfortune, Martínez is one of the few players in United’s squad who is suited to the back-three formation.
Comfortable in possession and drifting out to the left flank, the former Ajax man can also step into midfield to support that perennially outnumbered double pivot. United were unbeaten in the six matches immediately before Martínez was left crumpled in a heap against Crystal Palace, and had won their last four games on the spin. The club have claimed consecutive victories just once over the subsequent seven months.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Report: Man Utd Learn New Recovery Timeline for Lisandro Martinez.