Lisandro Martinez's explosive outburst after Manchester United's 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in Madrid on Tuesday has placed the spotlight firmly on director of football Jason Wilcox and the club's hierarchy. Following the loss, Martinez criticised the lack of summer investment in the squad and said he expected more from "upstairs".
Sky Sports News reporters Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol address the key questions surrounding the situation. Dorsett says Wilcox retains the full support of his United bosses, despite the personal criticism directed at him by Martinez. He says the defender's comments reflect the frustrations of significant sections of the fan base, but that Wilcox is working to a carefully planned transfer strategy sanctioned by chief executive Omar Berrada and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
United's hierarchy, according to Dorsett, is determined to stick to strict spending plans and will not repeat past mistakes, where players who were not key parts of the first team remained on lucrative long contracts. The club's financial situation means it will take several transfer windows to fully overhaul the squad.
The strategy is based on data intelligence gathered by director of data and AI Michael Sansoni. The focus of the 2025 summer window was on attacking positions, with £158m spent on three central midfielders this summer, a switch that has left some fans wanting a top-quality striker.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing