Possible surgery for Lisandro Martinez: How long will he be out?

After re-injuring the foot he first injured in April, Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez may need more surgery.

Martinez alongside Raphael Varane remain United‘s best starting central defensive partnership. While Ten Hag has relied on him while healthy, his performance has waned this season, as seen by the club’s poor defensive record.

However, a recurrence of the same injury that ended his season last year has handed a severe blow to the Red Devils. In fact, they will likely be without their starting center back for the foreseeable future. Erik ten Hag was left with no choice but to substitute the 25-year-old as a precaution against Arsenal.

What did Erik ten Hag say?

Playing in his place in defense were Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, who started last weekend’s triumph against Burnley. While everything was going on, Varane made his comeback from an injury layoff by coming off the bench.

After the international break, Martinez started both the Brighton and Bayern Munich games. Nevertheless, he will likely miss a significant amount of time due to another injury.

On Friday, manager Erik ten Hag addressed the media saying: “It is very sad, for him and the team, because he was not 100% fit. I think it was a big difference, the Licha Martinez in the last games and the Licha Martinez we have seen in the last season.”

When is Lisandro Martinez to return?

According to Sky Sports, the United physicians are weighing their options as they determine how best to aid in Martinez’s rehabilitation, and a second operation is still a possibility. It’s possible that the Argentine World Cup winner won’t return until December.

This is another setback for Erik ten Hag. Sergio Reguilon, on loan from Tottenham, was also injured and unable to play in Saturday’s defeat to Crystal Palace. The Spanish defender may not be able to come back until after the international break in October.

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