Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is “close to being able to play” after more than nine months out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, head coach Ruben Amorim said on Friday.
The 27-year-old has returned to full training ahead of Monday’s Premier League fixture against Everton, having not played for United since he was stretchered off the pitch during the defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on February 2.
Amorim referenced the progress of the Argentina international when asked at Friday’s pre-match news conference whether he would be capable of playing in midfield on his return.
“He’s a smart, intelligent football player (who) can play in a lot of positions but it is not the right position for him,” Amorim said. “He needs more time to work there and he is not working there, in an emergency he can play but I am not thinking about that.
“I feel Licha is becoming close to being able to play. We need to be careful, he is going to struggle in the first minutes but he is clearly in a better position than he was two weeks ago.”
Having signed for the club under his former head coach at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, Martinez featured regularly following Amorim’s arrival in November 2024, starting all but one of the matches in which he was available during the three-month period before his injury. He captained United in December’s defeat by Newcastle.
Amorim, meanwhile, said Benjamin Sesko would be out for “a few weeks” after he sustained a knee injury during the draw with Tottenham Hotspur on November 8. The Athletic reported on November 17 that the forward, who missed international duty for Slovenia, is expected to be sidelined for between three and five weeks.
“I don’t know how long but it is not that serious we have to be careful with him,” Amorim said. “He is going to recover. He is doing the recovery and he is feeling better so we expect in a few weeks to have him back.
“I think it is going to be more or less he will be back at the same time as Amad and (Bryan) Mbeumo leave for AFCON. I don’t want to say for sure but when they are going to the camp I expect to have Ben back.”
Amorim also said Harry Maguire “is not ready” for Monday’s match against Everton, and that Kobbie Mainoo has not trained.
“I think tomorrow we could see Kobbie so we will see,” he added.
United are seventh in the Premier League table, only two points behind third-placed Chelsea.