Lisandro Martínez's future looks increasingly likely to lie away from Manchester United.
Just weeks ago, Barcelona appeared to be the club most interested in securing the Argentine defender's services. Atlético Madrid will now join the race if he can leave Old Trafford on a free transfer in 2027.
Manchester United's current situation is far from positive. The Red Devils are going through a deep sporting crisis that has left them sitting in 16th place in the Premier League. The future of manager Michael Carrick is not the only issue in question. Players such as Lisandro Martínez are approaching the final months of their contracts, and several clubs are already interested in signing them.
Last week, according to media outlets such as Sport and Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona was identified as one of the clubs most interested in signing the defender in the summer of 2027. Now, other newspaper like AS has added Atlético Madrid to the race for a player whose contract is set to expire in the coming months.
Reports from the Spanish capital suggest that both Atlético Madrid and Barcelona are only interested in Lisandro Martínez if he leaves Manchester United on a free transfer. It is worth remembering that his contract expires on June 30, and although there is an option for an extension, neither his representatives nor the English club are expected to activate it at this stage. From January 1, he could be free to negotiate a move to any club in the world if the current situation remains unchanged.
Barcelona has been interested in Lisandro Martínez for several days. Since the departure of Iñigo Martínez, Hansi Flick has struggled to establish a left-sided centre-back who can fully understand and execute his high defensive line. The Argentine's excellent ability to play out from the back would make him an extremely attractive option for a project that only needs to strengthen a few specific positions to be considered the best team in the world in 2026.
Atlético Madrid sees this as an outstanding market opportunity. The club also believes that Martínez's experience playing alongside Cuti Romero for the Argentina national team would make his adaptation to Diego Simeone's side much easier and faster. He has the profile of a player who clubs like Atlético are finding increasingly difficult to attract because of the financial gap between LaLiga and the Premier League.
The player is currently involved in a tense relationship with Manchester United's management. He strongly criticized the club's sporting directors following the defeat against Atlético Madrid weeks ago in the UEFA Champions League. Following that exchange of statements and public criticism, Spanish football is now keeping a close eye on the 28-year-old centre-back in case he becomes available on a free transfer from Old Trafford in 2027.