Man United to 'sell Lisandro Martinez after triggering clause'
Manchester United are still likely to trigger their option to extend centre-back Lisandro Martinez’s contract despite his recent comments against the club.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Red Devils will still be keen to “protect their asset.”
Martinez is out of contract next summer, and has cast his own future into doubt after criticising technical director Jason Wilcox after the recent defeat to Atletico Madrid.
However, Wyness believes that United’s plan for the 28-year-old’s future won’t have changed based on those comments, and they are still intending to trigger their automatic extension option.
That could keep the Argentine at Old Trafford until the summer of 2028, but Wyness believes that United may still have other ideas.
Injuries limited the former Ajax man to just 19 appearances in all competitions last term, but he has already started six Premier League games this time around.
Man United planning Lisandro Martinez sale
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that United could potentially sell Martinez next summer, after moving to take up their extension option.
That would help the Manchester giants to preserve the player’s value for a further few months, which would potentially help them to secure a reasonable fee for him.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained that he expects United to trigger their extension option before making any further plans.
“It's funny, the whole thing seems to have turned around in a week. I expected it to have been P45s for him, but no, he's been picked again,” he said.
“United have an option on him for another year, so I expect them to trigger that option and preserve his value. And if he is going to go, it would be again in the summer.
“Look, there are big problems at the back for United, and I think that's what's maybe forced them to smoke the peace pipe, and it's not a great sign; it's just a symptom of turmoil and unhappiness around Old Trafford right now.
“It's just not a happy ship, and these sort of things are what happens when it's a very unhappy ship, and that must stem from the top.”
Man United watching Fabian Hurzeler closely
Former United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider earlier this week that his former club are continuing to watch Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler closely with a view to potentially making a move.
The German is understood to have plenty of admirers behind the scenes at Old Trafford, amid an excellent start to the season for his Brighton side.
Brown believes that Hurzeler is the “ideal” candidate to take over from Michael Carrick, if the board decide that a change is needed in the coming months.
Carrick is under pressure amid a difficult start to the new campaign, and he is facing growing calls for him to lose his job soon.