Manchester United Already Have Lisandro Martínez Replacement in Mind

Manchester United have rekindled their interest in Sporting CP defender Gonçalo Inácio as the club continue planning for the future of their backline amid growing uncertainty surrounding Lisandro Martínez.

While Atlético Madrid’s reported €45 million bid for Martínez has put the Argentine’s future under the spotlight, United are in no rush to make a decision. The 28-year-old remains highly regarded internally, and the club’s stance has always been clear: when fully fit, Lisandro is one of the best left-sided centre-backs in the Premier League.

The concern has never been his quality. It has been his availability.

Martínez has missed significant stretches of football over the past two seasons through injury, forcing United to repeatedly adjust their defensive plans. That has prompted the recruitment team to revisit several centre-back targets, with Gonçalo Inácio once again emerging as one of the leading names under consideration.

The Sporting defender has been admired by United for a long time. At 23 years old, Inácio combines composure on the ball with strong positional awareness and is regarded as one of Portugal’s brightest defensive talents. As a naturally left-footed centre-back, he also fits the profile Michael Carrick wants in a possession-based system.

Despite the speculation, United remain in a strong negotiating position. Martínez’s original contract, signed in 2022, runs until June 2027, with the club holding the option to extend it by a further 12 months until 2028. That clause gives United complete control over his future and removes any pressure to sell this summer.

For that reason, any deal involving Martínez would almost certainly depend on United securing his successor first. Selling an influential defender without a guaranteed replacement would leave Carrick short in a position that is already crucial to his rebuild.

Inácio is now back on the shortlist, and should Atlético Madrid or any other club return with an improved offer for Martínez, United already have a clear contingency plan in place.

The message from Old Trafford is simple: no replacement, no sale.