Manchester United are playing some great football under interim coach Michael Carrick. They have won back-to-back matches against the current top two Premier League sides, Arsenal and Manchester City, and have climbed to fourth place in the table.
If United can continue to maintain this form, they could firmly be in the race for a strong finish to the season. Meanwhile, the Red Devils’ board is expected to make some additions in the summer, especially in midfield and defensive areas, having already strengthened the attacking side of the squad before the start of the season with the signings of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
A few departures are also expected, with Casemiro set to leave on a free transfer. Now, reports have emerged suggesting that he might not be the only starter headed for an exit.
In fact, Fichajes (via The Peoples Person) have reported that Barcelona are looking to “add a left-footed defender” to Hansi Flick’s current squad, and United defender Lisandro Martinez has emerged as their first-choice target.
Manchester United superstar emerges as first-choice target for Barcelona
Manchester United signed Martinez from Ajax in 2019 for a fee of around €7 million. Since then, he has established himself as one of the best ball-playing defenders in the Premier League and an important figure in the Red Devils’ backline.
The 28-year-old missed the beginning of the season due to an ACL injury. However, since his return, he has featured in almost all of the matches, making 12 appearances so far.
Notably, Barcelona have already some done business with Manchester United in recent times, having signed Marcus Rashford on loan until the end of the current campaign. There is also a possibility that the deal could be made permanent.
Now, coming back to Martínez, there are reasonable doubts that United will listen to any offers for the Argentine international. As a result, this report must be taken with a pinch of salt.
Sourav Mahanty
Sayak Biswas