Manchester United will hand Argentine centre-back Lisandro Martinez a new deal based on his performances in the 2026/27 season.

Manchester United are conditioning a new long-term contract for Lisandro Martinez on the Argentine defender’s fitness and performances this season, per a report by Football Insider.

The Red Devils are not planning to rush into a decision over his future, even though the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner approaching the final six months of his initial agreement. However, Manchester United are likely to trigger a one-year extension in his contract to safeguard their investment.

The conditional approach balances Manchester United’s need to protect themselves against his persistent injury record while incentivising the 28-year-old to prove his durability. His quality has never been in doubt when fit; the question for the club is whether he can maintain it.

Manchester United to play the waiting game with Martinez’s future

Martinez joined Manchester United from Ajax in 2022 for £57 million and quickly established himself as a key defensive figure. However, injuries have significantly disrupted his time at Old Trafford. The 28-year-old has made 112 appearances for United across the last four seasons but missed more than 100 matches for club and country during the same period because of injury.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner sustained an ACL injury in February 2025 against Crystal Palace that sidelined him for around eight months. He subsequently admitted that the difficult spell had even made him consider retiring from football at only 27, before managing to rebuild his fitness and regain his position in both the United and Argentine national team.

Martinez was a key member of the Argentina squad that reached the World Cup final during the summer, which certainly helped his cause. With the player heading towards the final six months of his deal, interested clubs could look for a pre-contract regarding a free transfer in the summer. Despite that, Manchester United are in no rush to negotiate a new deal.

The 28-year-old has started the campaign as a first-choice centre-back under Carrick, playing the entire 90 minutes in their last two outings. If he can remain fit and retain his place in the starting lineup, the club are expected to offer him improved terms alongside a longer extension.