Huge Lisandro Martinez fitness update emerges after horror injury in loss to Palace – report

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has successfully undergone surgery to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Martinez picked up the injury during the 2-0 home loss at the hands of Crystal Palace.

United later confirmed the nature of the setback, indicating that assessments were ongoing to determine the best course of action.

Earlier this week, a report covered by The Peoples Person confirmed that a decision had been made for the World Cup winner to go under the knife.

Now, the Daily Mail have confirmed that he had surgery in London on Thursday and it appears the operation was successful.

It’s understood that Martinez was accompanied to the capital by United officials. The newspaper notes that Martinez could be out for anywhere between six months and a year.

Should he respond well to rehabilitation, he could return to competitive action just in time for the start of the 2024/25 season.

Martinez sustained the ACL injury nearly a year to the day after he suffered medial collateral ligament damage to a knee during the 3-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford on 4 February.

He came back for the 1-1 draw at Brentford on 30 March but was forced off with a calf problem that kept him sidelined for an additional six weeks.

Since the 27-year-old signed for United from Ajax in 2022, he has also had two surgeries on his foot and has appeared in 58 of 100 Premier League matches.

It remains to be seen whether this latest issue forces United to alter their transfer plans ahead of the summer window. Even if he returns just in time for the start of the new campaign, Martinez will likely require an extended period to fully get back to match sharpness.

United would benefit from signing a left-sided centre-back to ease the pressure on Martinez, ensuring he isn’t overburdened when he returns to action.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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