Background and career
Lisandro "Licha" Martínez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlisanðɾo maɾˈtines]; born 18 January 1998) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester United and the Argentina national team. Nicknamed "The Butcher", he is known for his aggressive style of play, physical duels, and accurate long passes from the back. Martínez began his career at Newell's Old Boys before joining Defensa y Justicia in 2017, initially on loan. He signed for Ajax in 2019, where he made 120 appearances over three seasons and won two Eredivisie titles and one KNVB Cup. He won the Ajax Player of the Year award in the 2021–22 season. Martínez played youth international football for Argentina at under-20 and under-23 levels. He made his senior international debut in March 2019, and was a member of the Argentina squads that won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América.
Born in Gualeguay, Entre Ríos Province, Martínez had youth spells with Club Urquiza (Gualeguay, Entre Rios), Club Libertad (Gualeguay, Entre Rios) and Newell's Old Boys. He made his professional debut for Newell's in the club's final fixture of the 2016–17 season, when he played the full match in a loss to Godoy Cruz.
In August 2017, Martínez joined fellow Argentine Primera División side Defensa y Justicia on loan. His first appearance for Defensa arrived on 13 October in a defeat against San Lorenzo. Two appearances later, he scored his first senior goal in an away win versus Temperley. Defensa y Justicia purchased 50% of the rights to Martínez in June 2018.
On 17 May 2019, Defensa y Justicia announced that a deal had been agreed with Eredivisie team Ajax; subject to the passing of a medical. Ajax paid the Argentine side €7m for the transfer of Martínez. Ajax announced the completion of the medical on 20 May, with the transfer to go through on 1 July. He penned a four-year contract, with the option of a further year. He didn't officially join until July, though did feature in June friendlies with Quick '20 and AaB. Before Ajax signed him, they tracked his progress for two and a half years. His competitive bow came in the 2019 Johan Cruyff Shield against PSV Eindhoven, as Ajax won the trophy following a two-goal victory. He was voted man of the match in his second Eredivisie game, a win over Emmen. Martínez netted his first Ajax goal on 28 September, as he opened the scoring in a 2–0 victory over Groningen at the Johan Cruyff Arena. He scored again against Utrecht in November, in a campaign which was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his first match of 2020–21, Martínez got his third Ajax goal in a home win versus RKC Waalwijk on 20 September.
On 16 July 2022, it was announced that Manchester United had agreed a deal with Ajax for the signing of Martínez for a reported transfer fee between £47 million to £49 million, plus £8.5 million in add-ons. The transfer was officially completed on 27 July, when Martínez signed a five-year contract with the club. The next day, it was confirmed that he would wear the number six shirt last worn by Paul Pogba. On 7 August, Martínez made his club debut in a 2–1 home loss against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. However, after performances against rivals Liverpool and Southampton, he received the Manchester United Player of the Month award for August. On 22 January 2023, Martínez scored his first goal for Manchester United in a 3–2 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. His first trophy with the club came on 26 February, with a win over Newcastle United in the 2023 EFL Cup final. On 13 April, Martínez injured his right foot while playing in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla. The following day, it was confirmed that he fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot and would miss the remainder of the season.
On 29 September, Martínez reinjured his foot, and was sidelined for four months, returning on 14 January 2024 as a substitute in Manchester United's 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. On 4 February, in a match against West Ham United, he was substituted in the 71st minute after a collision with West Ham defender Vladimír Coufal. It was then confirmed that he had sustained an MCL injury, and was expected to be out for at least eight weeks. He returned on 25 May in the 2024 FA Cup final against local rivals Manchester City, where United triumphed with a 2–1 victory. On 5 January 2025, Martínez scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. He became the first Manchester United player to score at their rivals' ground since Jesse Lingard in 2018, ending a drought of five league visits to Anfield without a goal. On 26 January, Martínez's deflected shot handed United a 1–0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. A week later, on 2 February, he sustained an ACL injury during a match against Crystal Palace, which would sideline him for the rest of the season. On 13 April 2026, Martinez received a straight red card for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in their 2–1 home defeat to Leeds United and was suspended for three games.
