Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has criticised the club’s leadership for failing to strengthen the squad adequately despite the team securing a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Martinez spoke out after United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, extending their winless run to five matches and raising fresh questions about the club’s recruitment strategy.
United finished third in the Premier League last season to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in three years. However, Martinez believes the club should have invested more in new players to help the team compete on multiple fronts.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, the Argentine defender said the squad needed additional reinforcements following last season’s achievements, pointing to the investment made by rival clubs.
“We did a fantastic season last season, and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well,” Martinez said.
He specifically called for greater investment from technical director Jason Wilcox, while acknowledging that the players themselves also needed to improve their performances.
Martinez said the defeat against Atletico could not be blamed solely on head coach Michael Carrick or the players, arguing that the club’s recruitment and squad depth also needed scrutiny.
United spent approximately £155 million on three midfielders during the summer transfer window but did not strengthen several other positions.
The lack of additional striking support for Benjamin Sesko and competition for left-back Luke Shaw have emerged as particular concerns.
The criticism comes at a sensitive time for the club, which has changed managers twice in recent seasons. Erik ten Hag was dismissed in October 2024, while Ruben Amorim left his position in January 2026.
Carrick, who took interim charge following Amorim’s departure, won 12 of his 17 matches before securing a permanent two-year contract as head coach.
Martinez argued that repeatedly changing managers would not solve the club’s problems without improvements in other areas.
However, former United captain Wayne Rooney and ex-defender Ashley Young questioned the timing and potential consequences of Martinez’s remarks.
Rooney warned that the comments could divide the dressing room, arguing that publicly questioning recruitment risked undermining teammates. He also recalled criticising the club publicly in 2010, an incident he later regretted.
Young agreed that recruitment needed to improve but insisted that players had a responsibility to deliver better performances on the pitch.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, however, said he understood Martinez’s frustration, arguing that supporters could see the squad needed strengthening.
United’s latest defeat has intensified scrutiny of their performances and transfer strategy, with Martinez’s comments exposing growing concerns over whether the current squad has sufficient depth to compete at the highest level.
The defender has one year remaining on his contract, with no extension agreed, adding another issue for the club to address as it seeks to restore consistency and maintain its Champions League ambitions.
