Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has undergone successful surgery to repair his broken metatarsal, bringing to an end a season which he started so brightly.
The World Cup winner suffered the injury during last week’s Europa League quarter-final first-leg draw with Sevilla, ruling him out for the rest of the season. The injury usually takes six to eight weeks to heal, but thanks to the swift action of the Manchester United medical team, Martinez was able to have the surgery on Monday and is now on his way to recovery.
Martinez has been one of the stand out performers for United this season following his arrival from Ajax, and his absence will be sorely felt as they battle for a top four finish and a place in the Champions League. He was also nominated for the Premier League team of the season, testament to the impact he has had in his first season at Old Trafford.
The injury has come at an inopportune time for United, who have also lost Raphael Varane to injury, leaving Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as their starting centre-backs. The club is now actively working on adding a new defender for the summer, with Monaco’s Axel Disasi and Napoli’s Kim Min-Jae being two of the names being discussed.
Kim Min-Jae is one of the most highly rated centre-backs in Europe, and has a £40m clause active for a short window during the summer. Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle have all spoken to his representatives, but Paris St Germain are also interested in the South Korean, with a view to pairing him alongside Milan Skriniar who they are signing from Inter Milan.
Despite the injury and the disruption it has caused to his season, Martinez remains in high spirits. On Instagram, he wrote: “Not the way I imagined what’s been a very special season would end, but sometimes we face obstacles along the way that we have to overcome to make us stronger and we learn from them. I know that I’ll be back very soon to go for more.”
The support from fans has been overwhelming, with thousands of messages of encouragement flooding in for the talented defender.
Lisandro Martinez’s injury is a massive blow for Manchester United, and his absence will be felt for many months to come. But with the successful surgery now out of the way, the club can now look forward to the return of their star defender next season, and will be hoping that his recovery is swift and successful.
