Several senior Manchester United players reportedly share Lisandro Martinez’s frustration with the club’s recruitment strategy, adding to pressure on sporting director Jason Wilcox.
Martinez criticised United’s summer planning after the 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid. According to talkSPORT, his concerns are also held by a number of experienced members of the dressing room.
The reported unease centres on the balance of the squad and the belief that United failed to build sufficiently on the progress made during the second half of last season.
Manchester United players question recruitment balance
United spent around £155 million on midfield additions, bringing in Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans as the principal signings in that area.
However, the club did not make comparable reinforcements at full-back or centre-back, despite recurring fitness problems in defence. Some players are said to feel those weaknesses were left unresolved while too much of the available budget was directed towards midfield.
Wilcox has consequently come under scrutiny from sections of the squad, with the recruitment decisions viewed as a missed opportunity to strengthen the team comprehensively.
The midfield signings may have appeared logical individually, but the wider concern is whether United addressed their most pressing needs. The club’s official summer transfer summary also listed goalkeeper Karl Darlow and several younger players among the arrivals.
The concerns have become more pronounced during a difficult run of form. Michael Carrick’s side have now gone five matches without a win, making the squad’s defensive shortcomings more apparent and placing further focus on the club’s planning.
The reported support for Martinez’s position suggests the discontent extends beyond the manager’s performance. Wilcox and the board now face pressure to demonstrate that United have a coherent strategy, with any decision over Carrick unlikely to resolve the wider recruitment concerns on its own.
