Manchester United fear Lisandro Martinez is out for the remainder of the season with an apparent knee injury.
Martinez was carried off on a stretcher in tears after an innocuous tangle with the Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr in the 82nd minute of United's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Dressing room sources believe Martinez is unlikely to play again this term. United are expected to communicate the extent of Martinez's injury tomorrow or later in the week. Club sources expect it will take 24 hours to make a thorough diagnosis.
READ MORE: Manchester United release Lisandro Martinez injury statement - 'our hearts break'
READ MORE: Real Betis manager makes Antony admission after Manchester United winger makes debut
The prolonged absence of Martinez, 27, is a major setback for United after he scored in the draw with Liverpool and victory at Fulham last month. The Argentine came second in United's player of the month poll for January.
"Licha is really important for us," United head coach Ruben Amorim said. "Not just as a football player but as a character, especially in this hard moment. Now it’s time to help Licha like he’s doing for so long.
"I think it’s a bad situation. Let’s wait to assess things with the doctor but I think it’s a serious situation."
Martinez has suffered a number of significant injuries since he joined United in 2022. He missed the final six weeks of the 2022-23 season with a fractured metatarsal and he required corrective surgery in September 2023 that kept him out for four months. The World Cup winner missed eight weeks in February and March last year with a medial collateral ligament injury before a six-and-a-half-week lay-off with a calf problem.
It is unclear if Martinez's injury will spur United into an 11th-hour move for a centre back before the transfer window closes at 11pm tonight. United signed Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich on deadline day two years ago after Christian Eriksen was ruled out for more than two months with an ankle injury.
United have six specialist centre backs following the arrival of the 18-year-old Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. Noussair Mazraoui has also played in Amorim's back three this season and Casemiro was deployed at centre back seven times last term.
Luke Shaw has started full training after a two-month absence with a hamstring problem and is a left-footed option to replace Martinez. Shaw has played at centre half in a trio and a duo in the past. Heaven is also left-footed but has only played ten minutes of senior football.
Shaw has not started a United match since February 18 last year and may not be risked from the start against Leicester City in the FA Cup third round on Friday.
Victor Lindelof recently returned from a six-week absence but has not played since the League Cup elimination by Tottenham on December 19. The 37-year-old Jonny Evans is still sidelined with a muscular injury and has played 45 minutes in the past two months.
Lindelof will be released in the summer and Evans could retire after an 18-year playing career.
