Lisandro Martinez may return by the end of the year: what Amorim says.

Hope for Lisandro Martinez's return

According to The Sun: The football club MANCHESTER UNITED continues to hope that Lisandro Martinez will make it back to the pitch by the end of the year.

The 27-year-old defender has yet to join the team's training sessions, and it has already been eight months since his anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Martinez began training outdoors at the end of July during the pre-season tour and is currently undergoing individual rehabilitation sessions.

The club hopes that Martinez can return to the team after the international matches in November.

In the summer, Martinez became part of the club's new leadership group and supported the team during a match at the Etihad Stadium last month.

The Argentine defender continues to remain at the base in Carrington, where he observes training and attends team meetings. He joined United in July 2022 but has already dealt with several significant injuries during his three years at the club.

In April 2023, he broke his metatarsal bone, after which he required surgery. This forced him to miss matches until January 2024. At the end of the 2023-24 season, he also sustained a calf injury, and in February tore his ACL in a home match against Crystal Palace.

The situation in the team

Luke Shaw has played in all seven Premier League matches as a left-back in coach Ruben Amorim's scheme, who prefers a left-sided defender. Shaw, a true left-back, has adapted to the central position.

Since moving from Arsenal in the winter, new player Aidan Haven has played only four matches in 18 years.

Last month, Amorim acknowledged that the team “really misses Martinez” in the wake of a tough start to the season and expressed hope for his recovery.

“When you have such an injury, there’s a period where you quickly go through challenging moments of recovery, and then comes the boring part, when it feels like you’re not progressing,” he said.

“We really miss Licha, especially now when we need his aggression in every episode, he is sorely missed.”

“But he is always present in our meetings. Sometimes after training, he stays to watch the sessions. We need Licha in this team.”

Another issue for the team remains defender Noussair Mazraoui, who is likely to return by the end of the month after a thigh injury.

At the weekend, Manchester United eased the burden for Amorim, achieving an important 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford. The next match will be a serious test: an away game against Premier League champions Liverpool after the international break.