Manchester United’s Martinez blasts board’s lack of investment | Football
Manchester United Defender Criticizes Club’s Lack of Investment Following Champions League Loss
Published: October 13, 2026
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has voiced strong criticism of the club’s board for what he perceives as insufficient investment during the summer transfer window. His comments come on the heels of a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The loss marks Manchester United’s fifth consecutive game without a win across all competitions, contributing to their worst start to a league season in four decades.
Martinez described the team’s performance against Atletico as “really poor” in an interview with Amazon Prime. “I have to control myself a lot but sometimes it is a reflection… [or] mirror of how our club is at the moment,” he stated.
The defender emphasized the need for greater financial commitment to the squad following a third-place finish in the Premier League last season, which secured their return to Europe’s top competition. “I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox],” he remarked, adding that while players must also improve, building a strong squad is essential for success in high-stakes matches.
Martinez noted that the club established a solid foundation last season, but did not follow up with adequate reinforcements.
With pressure mounting on head coach Michael Carrick after a string of poor results, Martinez asserted that simply changing managers is not the solution. “You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? I can’t say more,” he said, urging a closer examination of the broader club structure.
Jim Ratcliffe, a minority owner of Manchester United, was present at the stadium to witness the team’s defeat against last season’s Champions League semi-finalists. The club invested approximately £140 million (about $185 million) this summer on midfield signings, including Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans, and Andrey Santos. However, fans expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of reinforcements in other crucial positions, such as left-back and striker.
Following the match, Carrick indicated he was not aware of Martinez’s comments and could not offer a judgment on them. “I think it’s a little bit on the emotions of the game as well, of coming here and being disappointed not to get something from the game,” Carrick explained.
Former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney responded to Martinez’s remarks, suggesting they may have been too critical. “I think he’s maybe gone a bit too far, and that should have stayed internal,” Rooney said. He acknowledged Martinez’s passion for the club but hinted that the defender might be among those facing scrutiny if the situation does not improve.
