Lisandro Martinez took to social media in a late bid to dilute his scathing comments 24 hours on from his blistering criticism of club bosses.
United’s players had Wednesday off after flying straight back from Spain following Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid and Martinez’s bombshell television interview in which he accused the Old Trafford board and director of football Jason Wilcox of failing in the transfer market last summer.
United remained tight-lipped on what action – if any – was to be taken against the Argentina international ahead of a return to training, but it the defender took matters into his own hands by explaining – but crucially not apologising – what he meant.
‘When I talk about wanting more, I’m talking about the ambition we must all have as part of this club,’ Martinez said, in part of his statement.
‘To keep growing, to become stronger and to have everything we need to compete at the highest level. These are standards we must all hold ourselves to, starting with me.’
He added: ‘We need to demand even more of ourselves and work together to take Manchester United back to the top. I believe in my team-mates, our manager and everyone working to help this club move forward.
Lisandro Martinez has broken his silence after Tuesday night’s extraordinary post-match rant
‘I’m convinced that the way forward is to keep working together, with ambition and commitment. My goal has been the same since day one, to win, to compete at the highest level and to give everything I have for this badge.’
The impact of Martinez’s initial statement is still likely to be felt through until Sunday’s trip to face Leeds United at Elland Road, while team-mate Amad Diallo is also in the spotlight after he added more fuel to the fire with a message on social media which read ‘f***ing disgrace, I have no words’, although it’s unclear what the Ivorian was referring to.
United will likely need to call on Martinez at Leeds with a number of injuries in defence. Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui have been out of action, and Matthijs De Ligt only returned on the bench as an unused substitute in Madrid after nearly a year out with a back injury.
Martinez’s long-term future is more uncertain, however. He is out of contract at the end of June, although United can extend it by another year.
They are unlikely to let a 28-year-old World Cup winner leave as a free agent five years after his £57million move from Ajax, but could trigger the extension so they can demand a transfer fee for him.
Martinez took aim at the United hierarchy in the wake of a fourth defeat in nine games in Madrid when he was asked if the club have backed Michael Carrick enough. ‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘He does his best. You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager.
‘What about other areas? Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.
‘I expect more (investment) 100 per cent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night.
‘I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment.’
