After requiring bone surgery in April, the Manchester United and Argentina center-back has worsened a metatarsal injury.
The club stated that he played with the injury in the matches against Brighton and Bayern Munich following the setback at Arsenal on September 3.
United medical personnel are currently determining the best way for him to recuperate and debating if a second procedure would be the best option.
Martinez’s injury means Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, or Jonny Evans will step in against Crystal Palace on Saturday and for the foreseeable future, in the latest injury setback for the club.
After Sergio Reguilon was introduced to the treatment room this week, manager Erik ten Hag is already without a true left-back.
Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw are both out indefinitely, therefore midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was utilised in the position against Palace in the Carabao Cup, excelling in an inverted full-back style on his Old Trafford debut. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the right-back, also missed the match.
United’s sole remaining healthy recognised full-back, Diogo Dalot, can play on the left, but with Wan-Bissaka still out, Ten Hag is at a loss for protection.
Ten Hag has dealt with a slew of injuries so far this season, but Mason Mount, Amrabat, Raphael Varane, and Maguire are all healthy and available.
According to Ten Hag, athletes are straining to keep up with the ever-expanding football schedule.
“We already expanded the squad this season because [of the demands on the players],” he stated.
“Because of the World Cup in the middle of last season, we had a longer season.” We had a shorter vacation because we had to play a longer season with the FA Cup [final] and then the Nations League.
“The schedule is expanding all the time.” The burden on the players is excessive – it is a massive overload.
“Other colleagues have mentioned it, and I have as well, but the schedule keeps expanding.” The players can no longer handle with the overload, as seen in many squads.”
