Argentine centre-back had surgery in February and has been in recovery
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is on the verge of making his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out for eight months.
The Argentine centre-back has been sidelined since February after sustaining the knee injury during a match against Crystal Palace.
He had surgery shortly afterwards and has been in recovery. Martinez is now targeting a comeback before the end of October, according to the Daily Mail, potentially in time for United’s fixtures against Brighton or Nottingham Forest. Medical staff are said to be satisfied with his progress in training.
Despite his injury, Martinez remains a key figure in the dressing room. He was with the squad in pre-season in the United States, and is always found in the dressing room before matches.
Ruben Amorim values his leadership and the energy he brings to the squad and has previously mentioned how much the squad needs him.
“We miss a lot Licha, especially in this moment,” United’s manager said. “We miss his aggression in everything he does, we miss him.
“But he’s always there in every meeting. In training, he sometimes finishes his and stays to watch the training. We need Licha in this team.”
Amorim relies on his outside centre-halves to progress play. This season he has largely played Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw on the right and left respectively. Statistics show that most of United’s passing is initiated and controlled by Shaw.
Martinez is a perfect fit for this role, with his calmness in possession, his line-breaking distribution, and his ability to step into the midfield to contest or progress the ball.
