Lisandro Martinez is expected to make his Manchester United return this month
Manchester United are inching closer to a massive defensive injury boost as Lisandro Martinez is reportedly due to rejoin full first-team training this week. There are hopes that the South American could make a matchday return before the end of October.
Martinez has been serving on the sidelines since February 2025. He suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in United’s loss to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. And initially many thought that he would be looking at a possible year on the bench.
But we have seen the former Ajax star make gradual progress at Carrington, with Lisandro seen back on grass and doing light training activity already.
Lisandro Martinez expected to be back this month
And according to recent reports by the Standard there are expectations that the 27-year-old will now move into full first-team training this week.
The report states that possible target games for his return are set at weekly intervals. One is when United host Brighton on October 25, and another is when Amorim & Co. make their trip to Nottingham Forest on November 1.
WAFU Opinion
If Martinez can survive training with the full team without any setbacks and return in late October, it would be one of the biggest boosts that United have had this season. He’s a game-changer. He is not just a mere defender. Lisandro can give you a lot of technical variability, which Ruben Amorim will appreciate.
Having Martinez back might prove to be the turning point in what has been a season of ups and downs for Manchester United. But he needs to be brought back slowly, given how he was out for a long term and that it was due to a delicate injury where even flare-ups could come with a heavy cost.
And while fans will expect immediate impact. There will need to be a sense of patience around him in those initial games.
We expect Martinez to be eased in. Possibly to appear as a substitute at first, and that so probably against Forest. And then Amorim can start getting him back into the starting line-up slowly as they develop his fitness.
Right now it would be about taking that time and ensuring that everything is fine before rushing in to give him a run-in.
How big of a boost do you think Martinez could prove to be for Manchester United? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.