Is Lisandro Martinez pushing to leave Manchester United?

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Is Lisandro Martinez pushing to leave Manchester United?

The segment discusses Lisandro Martinez's social media statement after Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, in which he questioned summer investment, named Jason Wilcox and questioned the club's ambition. Guest Lee argues the statement without an apology only adds pressure on Carrick and the players and may be a self-serving move toward a transfer, while guest Carve sees it as echoing fans' frustration with the Glazer ownership and how the club is run, and backs giving Carrick and Ratcliffe time.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWSkySportsYT Lisandro Martinez released a statement following his interview where after he criticised Manchester United's board following Atletico Madrid loss. Kaveh Solhekol and Lee Hendrie discuss the repercussions of this, including whether Martinez could be pushing for a move away from Manchester, and whether this puts additional pressure on Michael Carrick. 00:00 Lisandro Martinez statement 01:10 Should Lisandro Martinez have apologised? 02:50 Kaveh Solhekol reaction 07:25 Is Martinez pushing for a move away from Manchester United? 10:00 How would Kaveh react if he was in charge of communications? 11:50 Should Michael Carrick pick Martinez against Leeds? 14:15 Should Michael Carrick stay as manager? SkySportsNews SkySports manchesterunited ► For the latest developments on this story: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/topstories ► For the latest transfer news: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/TransferCentre More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsnews ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsNews ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage

Transcript

We are starting with Manchester United defender Lzandro Martinez stopped short of apologizing after taking to social media to clarify his extraordinary outburst following the Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid. On Tuesday, Martinez criticized the lack of investment in the summer and singled out technical director Jason Wilcox. Martinez released a statement, a long statement on Instagram last night. These are the key points. The defender says he spoke out of anger and frustration after the match because they didn't get the result they wanted. But he once again questioned the club's ambition. He said, "When I talk about wanting more, I'm talking about the ambition we must all have." He went on to say they need to keep growing and have everything they need to compete. He went on to say that he understands the players have to deliver and accepted his responsibility within that. And finally, he ended by saying he believes in his teammates and manager Michael Carrick along with everyone working at the club. He said, "I'm convinced that the way forward is to keep working together." >> Good morning, Lee. Good morning, Carve. This had a a huge response from all of the viewers yesterday, this topic, and it has moved on with that statement from Martinez. Lee, the statement was clarification, >> but no apology. What's the point of the statement if you're not going to apologize? >> I think he's just trying to maybe smooth things over, Tom. I think to be honest, um I think, you know, quite clearly, you know, we stated in that that first point there that I think after a game there's a, you know, a lot of frustration, there's a lot of anger, uh there's a lot of disappointment that comes with that. Um and sometimes, you know, you can you can let that loose, can't you? And I think that's where he's trying to sort of put it into a context where it's a little bit better where everyone else can read it and and not think he's just having directly a go at the board. Um, obviously he he he's clearly saying that his points that he's saying about the club and and and where they should be and what they should be doing, you know, he's sticking by sticking by his guns. But I think the way that he's come across and and and done it for me from a players point of view, I just think it draws more pressure into the football club. Um I I get it to a certain extent. You know, I can I clearly understand the frustration. I think when you put a football shirt on, you know, you want to be winning things, you want to be um progressing. Um but I think it could have been done in a different manner. I think it could have been done completely different because all it does now is add to Carrick's pressure. It adds more pressure onto the players. Um, and I just think there could have been a a better solution uh and a better way of of actually resolving this. Um, I know you think completely different. Carve, what do you think about it? >> Look, I think it's refreshing that Martinez said what he said. Uh, look, what's the point of having interviews with players if they're not going to say what they think? Uh, there was something he wanted to get off his chest. He got it off his chest. He's a player who played for Argentina in the summer. He was playing alongside Lionel Messi. He got to the World Cup final. He's returned to Manchester United. He thought United finished third last season. They were going to kick on. They were going to improve the squad. They were going to challenge for the Premier League title. they were going to challenge his Champions League and he's come back and he's looking at the league table and he's seeing United have the same number of points at Commentary City. They're below Hull and Ipsswich in the table. Nobody thinks United are going to be challenging to win the Premier League title. So, he's just expressing the frustration that a lot of Manchester United fans feel. So, I think it's refreshing. I want to see more of it. He was asked really really good questions by uh the reporter Gabriel Clark who managed to get this all out of him, but it was clear that he wanted to say what he said. I got the sense that this was premeditated. >> I I just think, you know, for for me, I'm saying, you know, you're going to go into the changing room the next day. And I think a few of the players Yeah, I I get what you're saying. I totally get what you're saying because, as I said, you all want success, don't you? And it is quite refreshing and reporters do want to get some of these key answers out of the football club. But do you think that that could have been dealt with a lot better as in the whole media at the moment he's talking about Manchester City season after season Manchester United have constantly constantly been at the front pages and the back pages of the papers because of certain elements of players, teams, people making comments. I just think that this could have been resolved a lot better. I was saying to Tom, is one of the the board from upstairs going to come into the change room after and go, you you've been poor the last three games? I think, you know, you got to reflect it. I don't think that's his job to actually >> Would that ever happen, by the way? >> No. No, never. I don't think it would because I think it's separate unless he actually knows the logistics of of of the football club and what they can spend. That would be a big question to know. I mean, it's all right going, "Yeah, we we need better players. We need more players. We want to compete. We want to win the we want to win the Premier League." But is that so easy? Is can you can you actually flick flick a switch and have Manchester United been able to do that? >> I I think he's showing that he has a connection with the supporters because he is saying what the supporters think and when the supporters say what they think, people don't really pay much notice. But when a Manchester United player says it, then people start talking about it. And what he's talking about, I think when he talks about the people upstairs and the way Manchester United is run is the ownership model at United, don't forget the ownership model >> would not be allowed anymore. The way that the Glazer family bought the club in a leveraged buyout. They bought it for £790 million. As soon as they got the club, they loaded 600 million pounds worth of debt onto the club. This was a club that was debtfree. Its debts now are more than a billion pounds. The Glazer takeover has cost United more than a billion pounds in interest payments, dividends. This used to be the biggest club in the world. It's now by revenue the fourth biggest club in England. And if you look at the league table, they're just a mid-table club. So I think Lissandro Martinez probably remembers when he was growing up in Argentina. He remembers Beckham, Skoles, Giggs, Keane. He remembers Manchester United winning everything with Sir Alex Ferguson. So he is remembering what United fans remember as well. and he's just expressing frustration at the way the club is run and the ownership model at the club because as I say what's happened at United would not be allowed anymore because you're not allowed to have leverage buyouts of uh clubs. >> What would you have said to him as a teammate either the next morning in training or in the dressing room even that night? I I just think that that there must have been something that that's that's that's really ruffled the feathers of of Martinez. I really do. And and whether there's been a conversation in the changing room about um you know, the way that the >> our understanding that he he wanted to leave in the summer. >> Well, >> and he's still there. >> That's the thing. That's the other thing is that, you know, is he being quite clever? Is he being quite cute in the way he's he's made? Did he did he did he do it at Athletico because that's where he wants to go and maybe he's saying to them, "Look, I'm unhappy here. Come in for me in January." >> I I I I think I think there could be an element of that. I really do. And and to be fair, I mean, by the looks of things, it's working in his favor for the for Manchester United fans because they they're all backing him and why wouldn't they? You know, they they want to see exactly what he wants to see. But is that going to work for him at the football club? because for him making statements and coming out in the media and saying the things he has done that just really opens the door for everyone to sort of start having a pop at people upstairs and and that's where I think that I I keep going back to the pressure that goes back on to them players. Is he actually doing it for himself? That's the big question. I I like him good football. There's no doubt of that. But there's elements that you have to look at him potentially leaving Manchester United and is he going, "Well, do you know what? I can use this to my strength. I really can." >> And when you were a player, when you were doing these interviews, >> what were you being told before the interviews? Were there people from the PR department saying, "Watch out, this journalist is, you know, he's he's tricky. He's going to try and get something out of you." We never had we had we never had anyone that would would give us any of that guidance around his karma. No, I mean, yeah, obviously you'd always get told by the the manager if there was a certain thing going on at the football club, whether it was, you know, financially or it was about players is that, you know, avoid speaking about that, you know, keep that to a to a minimum because I think, as you know, interviews we see pretty much, you know, the questions get asked pregame and and they're answered pretty much the same all the time. This is why it makes such big news, doesn't it? That he's come out and and really blown the press into a different level because there's not many players that would come out and do that. And that's why I think everyone's sort of wowed at the way the way he's come across. >> Here's one for you, Car. We've had a lot of the viewers who are Manchester United fans have been backing Martinez saying that he's that he's right. Uh you've got the players view that Lee's been given us there. Um, you've got obviously Jason Wilcox and the board will not be happy about this. What would you do if you were head of communications press officer? How upset would you be with Martinez? And would people be asking you questions, which would be unfair, by the way, but would they? >> Well, I'm sure there'll be um, you know, there'll be serious questions asked about what went on, why Martinez did what he did. >> It wasn't mix zone, was it? It was an actual postmatch. >> It was a postmatch interview. Yeah. Um the questions asked about what why did he do that? Um you know there will be fallout and obviously the people at the top of United will be really really unhappy. But just to put what he said into context I mean he is frustrated. Does he have a point? If you look at the figures in the summer, United spent I think 160 million pounds on players gross spent uh they sold players around >> 10 million >> 10 million but then if you add in Garnacho >> which is a loan plus obligation 40 million they made from selling players. So their net spend was around £120 million which is the seventh in the Premier League. The problem is United fans look at what City are doing. City spent more than400 million pounds, but City made more than£300 million from selling players and selling players has been a massive problem for Manchester United. They just cannot compete with clubs like City, clubs like Chelsea when it comes to selling players. And in the era of financial fair play regulations and PSR and STR, it's really important that you make money from selling players because that means you've got more money to buy players as well. So that is a big big issue at United. I'm not sure it's one that Martinez is aware of >> on on the pitch. It's leads on Sunday. >> Yeah. >> Which is very difficult. Michael Carrick will know how big this game is and it is a rivalry. >> If he believes that Lzandro Martinez is one of the best four defenders to be out there on the day, does he still pick him after what happened on Tuesday night? >> I don't think so. I don't think so. I I really don't. And that's from from being in a changing room where I'm just talking from from managers that I've worked under when maybe players have come out and said certain things in the press or they've been, you know, annoyed about certain things at the football club. Uh, and I've known that that has always been the case from from my my side and my era. But this is where the whole media surrounding comes back to Manchester United, doesn't it? cuz everyone's going to all eyes are going to be on that is whether he actually picks him for the game. I don't think he should. I really don't. >> If he does, Carve is what does that say about Carrick's relationship with Will Cox? >> Good. Good question. Very good question. So, you're saying that if he does pick him, it would maybe suggest that Carrick agrees with some of the points that Martinez made. Um, I'm not sure. We we we have to wait and see. What I would say that it's not all doom and gloom at Manchester United. If you look at their most recent accounts, they had record revenue, record revenue of 670 million pounds, even though they weren't in Europe at all last season. And if you were to speak to Jim Ratcliffe and Inos, they would say, "Look, there are deep structural problems at United, and we're addressing them. And these problems can't be sorted in one transfer window. We spent one transfer window buying forwards. We spent another transfer window uh buying midfielders. The next transfer window, we're going to be buying defenders. >> By the way, the one where he bought the forwards last summer got a lot of praise. Add to that the goalkeeper signed as well. >> Mhm. >> That will go was getting praised for that summer. It hasn't been a disaster by any means. And with the midfielders, it's very early in the season to judge. I just think when United fans look at the midfielders that other clubs are signing their rivals, for instance, City signing Elliot Anderson, Chelsea signing um uh Enzo City signing Enzo Fernandez, you know, World Cup winner, and then United are kind of >> sign Bruno. United can't sign those players anymore because they're not willing to pay massive, massive transfer fees and they're not willing to pay the kind of wages that some of their rivals are paying. Now, Jim Ratcliffe would say the reason we're doing that is because we have to be financially prudent. This is a longterm project. This is not going to happen overnight. And he would say to the fans, you have to be patient. This is going to take time. The same way as it took time with Micharteta at Arsenal. What it took him five, six years to win the title. He had to make some tough decisions, move out players who who he didn't want at the club. I think the important thing is that you just have to give Michael Carrick time, back him because changing managers hasn't worked and if you're a United fan, you just have to you have to trust Jim Rack. >> I I think so. I think they've got to stick with with Carrick. I think that the times that they've they've changed managers, interim managers have come in, they've given them the opportunity. I think I'm totally totally listen to what Carly saying and and it is it's a process. Manchester United and still we talk about the Beckhams, you know, the uh Sir Alex Ferguson days where they had some unbelievable players and and yes, they have been one of the biggest clubs in the world. There's been no doubt of that. But there's been a massive process. There's been a big change and there's there's a massive rebuild. By changing managers, you're changing different personality in the squad, the team. You know, you you have to stick with the process. And this is where I think that and I'll go back to Martinez coming out and saying the things he's he said is that does he understand the process of the football club. Yes, he could have watched the likes of Beckham and and Scholes and all the rest of the players where they had the success, but does he understand what they're actually doing and what process they're going on to take the club forward? because quite clearly there is something that's carved in stone behind the scenes to take Manchester United to or to get them back to a similar sort of stature. That's why I think it's such a big call for him to make. And I think my personal view is I think he might have done this for himself.