Manchester United endured a disastrous opening fixture against newly promoted Hull City, losing 2-0 with set-pieces being the downfall of Michael Carrick's side. 

Despite the season now underway, United still have the chance to do business with Carlos Baleba, set to be confirmed in the coming days. The deadline is still open till the 1st of September, which gives a few more days to finalise the squad. 

There will be a lot of talk about the left-back situation, with links to Alejandro Balde not going away, and now the club is also being linked to strikers. 

However, outgoings could become more of a hot topic as the club looks to raise funds to continue to bolster the squad.

Lisandro Martinez has been not only a key leader for the squad but also a fan favourite ever since he arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2022. Alongside being a World Cup winner, he was integral to both the EFL Cup final in 2023 and the FA Cup final in 2024. 

However, despite the clear quality that is there for all to see, the one thing that has plagued his time with the Red Devils is his injury record. Since fracturing his metatarsal against Sevilla in 2023 and suffering issues like an ACL injury, the Argentinian has missed 102 games across all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.

Despite having a slightly better time of it last season with only eight games missed, the injury-prone tag will continue to be associated with him.

According to talkSPORT, the centre-back is already fighting a battle to stay at the club, as officials at United believe Martinez needs to show he is beyond his fitness struggles and can feature regularly.

talkSPORT also report that while the club will most likely activate his one-year extension, if he fails to show he can feature regularly, then a sale cannot be ruled out.

Martinez undoubtedly is one of the most important figures in the squad and always has been since he joined. In a squad where the backups to him and Maguire are both youthful, his leadership and experience are essential to helping them develop.

Furthermore, the mentality and desire to always fight for the badge and every ball is infectious to the rest of the team. Not to mention the fact that, despite being a centre-back, he is one of our best technical players with his line-breaking passes. 

However, the concerns United have are completely valid, especially with Matthijs de Ligt also being a player who has struggled just as much with fitness. When fit, they are both easily our starting partnership and one of the best in the league.

But that is precisely the issue, as we never see it. The club need defenders who are available every game and can be counted on, as right now one or two injuries could decimate the defence, and the likes of Mazaroui or Shaw will have to fill in once again.