Michael Carrick confirms stance on Lisandro Martinez ahead of Leeds United clash

Michael Carrick confirms stance on Lisandro Martinez ahead of Leeds United clash Lisandro Martinez Back in Contention for Leeds as Manchester United Move On Manchester United need points, not noise. Ahead of the Leeds clash, Michael Carrick has made it clear that Lisandro Martinez is back in the frame and, in his view, the issue is closed. The Argentina defender had stirred up trouble after the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, openly criticising the club’s hierarchy and questioning the level of summer investment. Jason Wilcox was among those referenced, and Martinez then reinforced the message on social media before issuing an apology on Thursday after talks with Carrick and club secretary Omar Berrada. Carrick was direct. “It’s done,” Carrick said of the situation surrounding Martinez. “We’ve moved on from that. It was one of those things. As a group we’ve moved on. It’s really not a drama for the group. The squad have trained really well and they are in good spirits.” Michael Carrick shuts down Manchester United distraction This is the only sensible approach. United have enough problems without turning one dressing room dispute into a week-long soap opera. Carrick’s message was simple, Martinez crossed a line, accepted it, and the squad got on with things. He added, “It was pretty simple. We understood the situation. Licha understood he made a mistake. We have a really good felling from the club. Results wise it hasn’t gone our way, but the spirit and togetherness. We can see in the group we want to do something with this situation.” Then came the key line, “We’ve moved on. Genuinely. There is a freshness about the group. He [Martinez] is available.” Photo IMAGO Lisandro Martinez future still unresolved That settles his availability for Leeds, though it does little to settle the wider question around his future. Reports have indicated that Martinez wanted to leave in the summer, with Atletico Madrid seen as a possible destination. There is also uncertainty around his contract, which expires at the end of the season. That matters. A player entering the final year, unhappy with the club’s direction and not tied down to fresh terms, becomes a live issue very quickly. United can park the controversy for now, but they cannot ignore it forever. Leeds test offers Manchester United chance to reset For the moment, Carrick has what he wants, a fit, available defender and a squad being pushed back towards football rather than headlines. If United beat Leeds, this story fades. If they do not, it returns fast.