‘More Bungler than Butcher’: Martinez told to leave Manchester United

Manchester United have been urged to offload Lisandro Martinez in January following his controversial red card in Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea.

The Argentine defender was sent off after a VAR review for a reckless challenge on Wesley Fofana, having received an earlier booking for a foul on Morgan Rogers.

According to The Telegraph, chief sports writer Oliver Brown believes Martinez has become a liability at Old Trafford and should be sold when the January transfer window opens.

Brown criticised the defender’s performance, questioning his discipline and contribution to a struggling United side.

The journalist also highlighted Martinez’s limited availability, noting that he had missed 609 days through injury and managed just 72 Premier League appearances in four and a half years.

Martinez, who joined United from Ajax in 2022 for £48 million, has also faced criticism for publicly questioning the club’s summer recruitment.

Brown concluded that United should be willing to accept a financial loss to remove what he considers a disruptive presence from the squad.