Lisandro Martinez nearing return to action as Manchester United make surprise decision

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Evening Standard

·10 November 2025

Lisandro Martinez nearing return to action as Manchester United make surprise decision

The central defender is set to step up his efforts to make a return to action for Man Utd as soon as possible

Manchester United have allowed Lisandro Martinez to join up with the Argentina squad during the international break.

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Martinez, who has only recently returned to full training after being sidelined for months due to undergoing ACL surgery back in February, has not been called up by the World Champions for the friendly against Angola.

However, reports have confirmed he will train with Lionel Scaloni’s squad in Spain ahead of the game on Friday.

Furthermore, it is understood that Martinez will play no part in the fixture, though a return to action is not too far away having been left out of Man Utd’s last two matchday squads.

"He (Martinez) wants to go to this one [Forest], he isn't going to this one,” Ruben Amorim said before United’s Premier League draw with Nottingham Forest.

“He's going to need time. He has started training with us. Slowly he is going to get better.

"It's really good. He gives us that edge in every training session, that is also really good for us.”

While Martinez will be accompanied by a member of Man United’s fitness staff upon linking up with the Argentina squad, the club will be hopeful to avoid a repeat from 19 months ago.

In March 2024, United allowed Martinez to travel to USA as he recovered from an injury, only for that decision to backfire as the defender returned and injured his calf in comeback game at Brentford.

The positive is that the 27-year-old is not travelling too far this time as he steps up his case to be involved in the league game against Everton at Old Trafford on November 24.