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Premier League giants Manchester United have been dealt a huge blow as defenders Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof have picked up injuries that could sideline them for upto a month.
According to journalists Rob Dawson and Fabrizio Romano, the pair have picked up muscular injuries that could rule them out of action for the entirety of April 2024.
Argentine centre-back Martinez arrived with a huge reputation from Eredivisie side AFC Ajax for a reported €58 million in July 2022. However, his stay at Old Trafford has been plagued with injuries.
A metatarsal fracture kept him out of 12 games in 2022-23, while foot and knee injuries have caused him to miss 31 games already in 2023-24. He has been limited to just 11 appearances for the Red Devils this season, keeping just two clean sheets.
Meanwhile, Lindelof arrived at Manchester United from Benfica for €35 million in July 2017 as an exciting young defensive talent. However, he failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, and has been featuring off the bench or in rotational squads for United.
This season, he already missed 10 games with a groin injury suffered in September 2023. He has made 27 appearances this season across all competitions, helping United keep nine clean sheets in the process.
With Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire linked with moves away from the club in the summer, Manchester United will be desperate for a new centre-back in the upcoming transfer window.
"I've damaged my body" - Manchester United defender Raphael Varane on heading the football
Manchester United defender Raphael Varane claimed that he has 'damaged' his body due to recurrent heading of the football as a centre-back.
The Frenchman joined Manchester United in a reported €40 million deal from Real Madrid in 2021. Since then, he has made 92 appearances for the club and helped the team keep 30 clean sheets.
Speaking to L'Equipe, Varane said that he advises his seven-year-old son not to head the football when he plays. He said:
"Personally, I don’t know if I’ll live to be 100, but I do know that I’ve damaged my body. The dangers of headers need to be taught on all amateur football pitches and to young people. My seven-year-old son plays football, and I advise him not to head the ball. Even if it doesn’t cause any immediate trauma, we know that in the long term, repeated shocks can have harmful effects."
Varane also claimed that he suffered a concussion midway through a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 game against Nigeria in 2014, but played through it and helped them secure the win. He said:
“I finished the match, but I was in autopilot mode... What we’ll never know is what would have happened if I had taken another knock to the head."
