Lisandro Martinez delivered a damning critique of Manchester United's leadership following the club's 2-0 Champions League reversal at Atletico Madrid, in remarks that have sent shockwaves through Old Trafford.
The Argentina defender's post-match comments on Amazon Prime amounted to an extraordinary public rebuke of the club's transfer strategy and upper management, with the 26-year-old singling out technical director Jason Wilcox for particular scrutiny over the summer window's perceived shortcomings.
Manchester United's spending of £155m across four major signings following their third-place Premier League finish—which secured Champions League football for the first time in three years—has failed to address critical gaps in the squad, according to Martinez. The club notably neglected to strengthen at left-back and centre-forward, areas where weaknesses have become increasingly apparent.
I have to control myself a lot, but sometimes it's a reflection of how our club is at the moment. We had a fantastic season last season, and now we expect more from the top, from upstairs, to bring in more players to compete because many teams have brought in many players as well.
When pressed on whether he had anticipated greater investment in the squad during the transfer window, Martinez was unequivocal in his response.
Yes, 100 per cent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest. And also, as a player, we have to do more. It's also important to build a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night.
The defender's intervention comes as United extended their winless streak to five matches, intensifying scrutiny on manager Michael Carrick. However, Martinez was careful to distribute blame beyond the dugout, suggesting that systemic issues at boardroom level represent the club's fundamental problem.
He does his best. But every season is different. You can't stay with what you did last season. The teams know how you play, they know every detail. If you don't change, next season is a big problem.
When the conversation turned to Carrick's future, Martinez made a pointed gesture that left little doubt about where he believed the real problems lay.
You start changing, changing, changing managers. But what about [moves his eyes upwards] other areas?
He continued with unmistakable directness:
Because also tonight it is easy to say the coach, it is easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.
Carrick and Tielemans respond to the outburst
The interview dominated Manchester United's post-match press conference, where Carrick was forced to address the comments. Youri Tielemans, one of three outfield summer signings, declined to engage with the controversy.
Carrick acknowledged the emotional context but stopped short of endorsing Martinez's position.
Well, I haven't seen the interview. I've half heard about it in the other interviews I've done. I think it's a little bit on the emotions of the game as well, coming here and being disappointed not to get something from the game. Straight after a game for me is not the time to talk about that interview because I haven't seen it, so I can't really comment on that.
The manager emphasised the need to move forward quickly, with a significant fixture against Leeds United looming on Sunday.
But I think it's important for us to move forward quickly, really. I think there's a big game on Sunday, and it's really important that we move forward and we stay focused on that. There's disappointment within the group. I'm bitterly disappointed in certain things, and the boys are as well as a group.
Rooney's harsh assessment
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer, offered a more critical perspective during his analysis for Amazon Prime. While acknowledging that Martinez clearly cares about the club's direction, Rooney felt the defender had overstepped the mark.
It's a difficult one because I always used to think I was outspoken as a player and you want to have your opinion. I think he has maybe gone a bit too far. That's for the manager, and that should really stay internal.
Rooney highlighted the contradiction between Martinez's public criticism and his own recent performances on the pitch.
The fans want to hear the players speak; they want to hear the players care, so you can clearly see he cares and he wants the team to invest more money, and more players, and to do that he is probably one of the players who is out the door through his performances. His performances haven't been good enough.
Yet the former England captain conceded that Martinez's underlying point held merit.
But I think in some ways he is right in terms of the club needs to invest more, at the top end of the pitch and in defence as well.
Rooney expressed concern that the outburst would damage team cohesion and undermine the manager's position.
It's a bit disrespectful to his team-mates as well. He is disrespecting his team-mates because he's saying the team isn't good enough. Bruno (Fernandes) is the only one who has any right to come out and say anything like that as captain. And even then it should be behind closed doors if there are issues, which does happen.
Players have conversations with the manager, the manager has conversations with the board, but that interview is not going to help the situation the club are in at the minute. That's going to bring a greater noise around it; the players are not happy, they're not settled, they don't trust in their team-mates. That's not going to help at all.
Carragher's verdict
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was equally dismissive of Martinez's intervention when speaking to CBS Sports, though he acknowledged the appeal it would hold for sections of the United fanbase.
Doesn't do anybody any good at all, and they will be the story now for the next few days, all about this. Now, as supporters, every set of supporters don't like the suits or the guys upstairs, so United fans will lap this up and think it's great. I think it's awful that he's come out and said that right now. I do.
Carragher challenged Martinez's characterisation of last season as fantastic, pointing out that United's third-place finish was partly a consequence of their competitors' struggles rather than their own excellence.
And when he's saying 'we had a fantastic season last season', they didn't. A manager got sacked last season. They finished third because they had no cup games. They weren't in Europe. They got knocked out of the cup competitions very early. The reason they finished third is that Liverpool and Chelsea were that bad as well. Now we're seeing the real Manchester United this season.
Understanding Manchester United's hierarchy
To contextualise Martinez's criticism, it is worth understanding the structure of decision-making at Old Trafford. The Glazer Family retains majority ownership and corporate oversight, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS group oversee day-to-day football operations and investment decisions.
Omar Berrada, recruited from Manchester City in 2024, serves as Chief Executive Officer and acts as the bridge between the boardroom and football matters, reporting directly to the co-owners.
Jason Wilcox, the former Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and England winger who became the focus of Martinez's ire, joined United as technical director in April 2024. Following Dan Ashworth's departure in December 2024, Wilcox assumed his role as sporting director before being promoted to Director of Football after Sir Dave Brailsford's exit in June 2025.
Christopher Vivell, who arrived from Chelsea ahead of the 2024-25 season, was appointed Director of Recruitment on a full-time basis in February 2025. In this capacity, he manages scouting operations, data analytics and transfer shortlists, reporting to Wilcox.
What happens next for Martinez
According to Sky Sports, Martinez subsequently released a statement clarifying that his remarks reflected his desire for United to compete for major titles, though he stopped short of apologising for his comments. The club had not issued a public response as of 15 October.
Club insiders have reportedly anticipated that Martinez could face a fine, though no disciplinary decision had been finalised at that stage. Beyond the immediate fallout, the defender's remarks have raised questions about his long-term future at the club, particularly given that he enters the final year of his contract.
In his fuller comments, which extended beyond the initial interview, Martinez also highlighted that United lacked belief and energy, appeared disconnected as a team, and displayed negative body language following setbacks—a damning assessment of the squad's psychological state.
Analysis: A player unlikely to survive the fallout
Many Manchester United supporters have privately voiced the exact criticisms that Martinez articulated in Madrid. For a player to do so publicly represents a significant departure from convention.
Some fans will view Martinez's intervention as a necessary call-out of systemic failures that predate INEOS' involvement but have arguably worsened since Sir Jim Ratcliffe's minority investment. Others, including Rooney, will question whether the defender's motives extend beyond genuine concern for the club's direction.
History suggests that players who speak out in this manner do not tend to remain at their clubs for long. Cristiano Ronaldo's public criticism of the Glazers in his 2022 Piers Morgan interview preceded his departure within a week. Similarly, Cristian Romero, Martinez's fellow Argentine, criticised Tottenham's hierarchy via Instagram in January and was sold by the summer.
Martinez's underlying argument is difficult to dismiss. United's failure to recruit a left-back or striker over the summer has left Carrick exposed, while the much-publicised midfield rebuild has underperformed expectations. The club's managerial instability—three different managers in recent years, each with contrasting philosophies—compounds the sense of strategic incoherence.
Yet Martinez's comments will provide little comfort to Carrick, whose position has become increasingly precarious. The manager now faces the challenge of rebuilding morale and focus ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, beginning with the visit to Leeds on Sunday.
Regardless of Martinez's personal motivations, his central assertion carries weight: Manchester United's difficulties extend far beyond the technical and tactical realm. The club's structural problems at board level represent a more fundamental obstacle to sustained success than any individual manager can overcome.
Fan reaction to Martinez's outburst
Supporters have been divided in their response to the defender's intervention. One fan, Steve, offered unqualified backing:
Martinez is 100 per cent right. The board are an absolute disgrace; the biggest club in the world and yet they persist with the same defenders we've had for five years. Teams know our weaknesses; the board have once again let the manager down badly.
Others questioned whether the squad's problems were primarily financial. Jonesy countered:
I don't agree with Martinez. They had money, but spent it on players like Andrey Santos who can't get in the Chelsea team - what makes him good enough for Utd? I saw professional players unable to execute simple passes, and lapses of concentration in defence, again. Not good enough!
Date D took a structural view:
You can change the manager as much as you want, but when the hierarchy stays the same, you get the same results. Well done, Martinez!
Ciara offered enthusiastic support:
For once, a Man Utd player coming out to call out hierarchy. What a legend.
Dantoken echoed the sentiment:
I stand with him. Nothing changes until changes are made at the top of the club.
Garbs summarised a common view among those sympathetic to Martinez:
Agree with Martinez, squad should be bigger and more quality. The main issues are with those above off the pitch.
