Atletico Madrid are gearing up for a fight with Barcelona over Manchester United's Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez.
According to AS, Lisandro's relationship with his English club has soured badly and hit its lowest point after the comments he made following the match against Atletico Madrid.
Both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are now building the Argentine into their future plans. His contract runs out in the summer of 2027, so he would be available on a free transfer next summer.
A mass exodus looms at Manchester United from next summer, and Lisandro sits firmly among the names on the way out.
Neither the English club nor the player seems willing to trigger the clause extending his contract by another season. There is even a chance United look to offload him as early as January, though that hinges on the offers that land on their desk.
For all the turmoil at the club, Martinez is one of the few players whose market value has held firm. It stands at 45 million euros, according to Transfermarkt.
Both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are ready to pounce on United's upheaval to land the player.
Cristian Romero went further than simply praising his compatriot. The Atleti star gave him an open invitation to join the club during an interview on the Edul brothers' YouTube channel.
He said decisively: "Lisandro Martinez. Is there a player I would like to bring into my team? Lisandro Martinez."
Lisandro is also a long-held dream for the Atletico Madrid hierarchy. His name has featured on their shortlist for several seasons, and he fits a project still under construction, both technically and financially.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are weighing up his situation from a cautious distance. They see the Argentine as a defender firmly established at the top of the game, a winner of every title with his national team, and crucially one who could be had without a huge fee.
In Italy, Martinez's name is doing the rounds at Inter, Roma and Como as an option to bolster their defences. That is especially true at Como, where Cesc Fabregas will lose Jacopo Ramon next summer.


