Manchester United told to replace Lisandro Martinez in seismic summer rebuild | OneFootball

Last summer, for the first time in the post-Ferguson era, Manchester United had a genuinely transformative transfer window. If INEOS are serious about winning the league by 2028, they will need to repeat the trick between now and August. With Rasmus Hojlund officially a Napoli player and Casemiro almost gone, there should be decent money from outgoings to bolster the budget. There is plenty of work to do, with a massively expanded calendar on the horizon and numerous cracks to fill.

In the latest instalment in the Peoples Person’s 2026 Transfer Series, Scott Eckersley gets to live out his Football Manager fantasies. These are his picks:

Outgoings

1. Manuel Ugarte

The Reds’ decades-in-the-making lack of a consistent midfield presence meant that Manuel Ugarte’s signing from Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2024 was well-received. His subsequent failure to impose himself in a red shirt makes him the first outgoing on my list. Finding a buyer willing to take a leap of faith on the Uruguayan could be a problem — one Manchester United have bumped up against a few times in recent years. It is to be hoped that his agent, Jorge Mendes, still has enough of his famous clout to fix a permanent transfer. If so, a fee of around £25 million would seem about right.

2. Joshua Zirkzee

Although fitful, there have been glimpses of Joshua Zirkzee‘s quality during his time at Manchester United. Sadly, he has never fully convinced as either an unorthodox striker or silky No.10. There is definitely a player in there, but he does not seem to have the tools — or the big-game mentality — to impose himself on an increasingly physical Premier League. As with Ugarte, the sale makes sense, but the fee probably will not exceed £20 million.

3. Andre Onana

It is in nobody’s best interests for Andre Onana to return to Old Trafford this summer. Manchester United have already moved on to better things with the excellent Senne Lammens, and if returning loanee Radek Vitek can be convinced to play backup, the young Czech would be a more reassuring support act than the inconsistent Cameroonian. Onana himself almost certainly would not welcome a role on the margins at this stage in his career. A parting of the ways seems inevitable, with a mooted fee of around £15 million.

4. Lisandro Martinez

On his day, Lisandro Martinez is one of the best centre-backs in the league. He is decisive in the tackle, incisive on the ball, and has become a big fan favourite over his time at Old Trafford. Even so, his injury record has become a major concern, with him missing almost 100 games across four campaigns. Jason Wilcox and company need to be ruthless for the squad to kick on from here, and the perennially injured players are an obvious place to start. If the transfer committee can find a low-cost alternative to Licha’s famous grinta — more on that below — a fee of around £35 million could be used to address bigger problems elsewhere.

5. Marcus Rashford

If you had told a Stretford Ender five years ago that Marcus Rashford would win the league in 2026, they would have started planning for title 21. That it happened in Barcelona colours, with Manchester United having forced him out, says plenty about how far his stock has fallen. Some might cite a lack of left-sided attackers as cause to bring him back. For most, his obvious disinterest towards the end of his days in United red means few tears will be shed over a final, definitive parting of ways. Here is hoping Barcelona pull the trigger on that €30 million (£26 million) option to buy.

Incomings

1. Aurelien Tchouameni

If there is one signing that could define Carrick’s first summer, it is this one. At 26, and with a Champions League winner’s medal already in his cabinet, Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni is entering the peak years of his career. His reading of the game, physicality, and ability to protect a back line make him exactly the kind of midfielder Manchester United have been missing for the better part of a decade.

And the door may be opening. The aftermath of at least two reported training-ground altercations with Real star Fede Valverde — and a disappointing season for the club in general — suggests this could be a summer of churn at the Bernabeu. The asking price will be steep, potentially around £80 million. But if Manchester United are serious about closing the gap to the top two, they need to be first in line for the world-class Frenchman.

2. Lewis Hall

Find it tedious when a contemporary player gets described as a ‘classic Fergie signing’? Look away now.

Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall is the epitome of the kind of move the great man made at his height; young, exciting, still improving, and already operating at a level that belies his age. Prising an England international from a bitter rival in a World Cup year is not something Manchester United should do for just anyone. It might not be straightforward, but Hall is already one of the best left-backs in the country, and the Magpies’ uncertain finances mean he could be secured for around £70 million. He would be worth every penny.

3. Mateus Fernandes

Ordinarily, signing a midfielder who has been relegated twice in successive seasons with separate clubs would be a tough sell. West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes is perhaps a worthy exception, though. The Portuguese ace has thrived since moving into a deeper role earlier this season, and his mixture of tireless work rate and technical ability has made him one of the division’s emerging star men.

At just 21, Fernandes has only skimmed the surface of his obvious potential. With the Hammers on the cusp of relegation, this could be a one-time opportunity to nail down the next miniature maestro off the Portuguese production line for around £60 million. The fact he idolises Old Trafford compatriot and namesake Bruno probably will not harm Manchester United’s chances.

4. Marcos Senesi

Less glamorous than the other names on our list, but potentially just as important. With Lisandro Martinez theoretically sold, and a possible 60-game season on the horizon, Manchester United need defensive depth that can come in and make an immediate impact. Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi has been one of the most consistent centre-backs in the Premier League over the past two seasons. He reads the game well, loves a tackle, and is excellent on the ball.

Crucially, he is also available on a free transfer. As an experienced option while Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro continue to develop, signing Senesi would be one of the shrewder pieces of business Manchester United could do this summer. Sometimes the ‘smaller’ moves are the ones that make a big difference.

5. Robert Lewandowski

Yes, this is the kind of move Ed Woodward might have conjured during a fever dream. Maybe he was ahead of his time after all.

Regardless, Michael Carrick cannot go into next season with only Benjamin Sesko as his only proper striker. At 37, Lewandowski is no long-term solution, but as a Zlatan-style impact signing, the logic might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. The Pole has averaged more than a goal per game across four seasons at Barcelona, and brings an immense winning mentality to any dressing room. Over a decade after Fergie first tried to sign him, could ‘Lewa’ be tempted into one final Mancunian fling? If Manchester United can handle the wages, he could be a shrewd stopgap (and perfect role model for the emerging Sesko).

Featured image Eddie Keogh via Getty Image

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