Club cautious after four serious injuries in three years
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said Lisandro Martinez will not be rushed back into action despite returning to first-team training after having knee surgery.
The Argentine defender has been sidelined since February following an injury to his cruciate ligament during the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. He has consistently had similar injuries since he joined the club from Ajax in 2022.
Amorim confirmed that Martinez is eager to feature in Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, but the United manager said the player would be reintroduced much more cautiously.
“He wants to go to this one,” Amorim said. “He’s not going to this one, he is going to take time. He has started training with us but we had to change some things in the exercise for him so he’s going to get better slowly.”
Martinez’s injuries, including both foot and knee issues, have limited him to just 52 league starts in the three years since he was signed under Erik ten Hag. United highly value the player’s contributions to the squad but are wary of aggravating the issue.
Martinez is appreciated not just for his ability and defensively and on the ball. Amorim has repeatedly spoken about how he is an important leader within the squad.
The Argentine is one of six players whom the manager has designated as leaders within the group. He is also a positive influence to teammates on the training ground.
“He gives us that edge in every training session,” said Amorim. “That is also really good for us.”
