Man United’s Martinez blasts board’s lack of investment

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has criticized the club's board for a perceived lack of investment in the summer transfer window. This comes after United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, putting them on a winless streak of five games across all competitions. Martinez stated bluntly, "I really expect more" and "Really poor," when asked about the team's performance against Atletico.

He further expressed his frustration, saying, "I have to control myself a lot but sometimes it reflects... (or) mirrors how our club is at the moment." Martinez claimed he "100 percent" expected more investment in the squad this summer, following United's third-place finish in the Premier League last season that secured their place in Europe's top competition.

He added, "I expect more from our technical director (Jason Wilcox), I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for these kind of nights." Martinez acknowledged that last season's foundation was strong, but it wasn't followed through on. The pressure is growing on coach Michael Carrick, who has managed the team to five consecutive losses.

Martinez suggested that merely changing the manager might not be the solution, adding, "What about other areas? I can't say more." United's minority owner, Jim Ratcliffe, attended the match, but it appears the club's spending of around £140 million ($185 million) on midfielders Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans, and Andrey Santos did not satisfy fans, who called for reinforcement in other positions like left-back and striker.

After the game, Carrick denied that Martinez's remarks were accurate, suggesting the comments were influenced by emotions from the match and the disappointing result. Former England striker Wayne Rooney also chimed in, calling Martinez's criticism "excessive" and claimed it might lead to his departure from the club.