According to a report by Barca Universal on Monday November 2, 2026, During the January transfer window, Barcelona is interested in acquiring Lisandro Martinez, a defender for Manchester United, but they have placed a significant financial condition on any potential move for the Argentine international.

As sporting director Deco considers possible defensive reinforcements for Hansi Flick’s squad ahead of the second half of the season, the Catalan giants are keeping an eye on Martinez’s situation at Old Trafford.

The Spanish news outlet SPORT claims that Barcelona is still interested in Martinez, but that they will only pursue a deal if the price is right.

Barcelona is hesitant to spend heavily in a new defender due to their limited financial flexibility, even though their defensive injury problem is getting worse.

Xavi Espart, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, and Eric Garcia have all been sidelined with injuries, leaving Flick to cope with multiple defensive setbacks.

Given the current state of affairs, it is crucial for Barcelona to acquire more defensive reinforcements during the January transfer window.

After his time at Manchester United and in Argentina, Martinez is being considered as a potential replacement. The versatility of his backline play and his strong defensive skills suggest he could be an asset to Flick's team.

But the Spotify Camp Nou isn't going to pay that kind of transfer fee to get him.

Whether or not the transfer goes through may also be heavily influenced by the defender's contract status at Manchester United.

United have the option to extend Martinez's contract by another 12 months, but his current deal expires at the end of the season.

His long-term future at Old Trafford is uncertain due to reports suggesting an extension is not moving forward.

Therefore, Manchester United may have to make a big decision about the Argentine defender's future in January: keep him or sell him to avoid losing him without a transfer fee.

Even though Barcelona would love to take advantage of the situation and negotiate a cheap deal, the Premier League club might be able to recoup some of the money they lost on his sale if he leaves in the winter.

Nevertheless, United's openness to negotiations will determine the likelihood of any possible transfer. Barcelona will most likely not move forward with the deal if the English club demands a high fee, given their financial constraints.

Martinez is said to be planning to meet with Manchester United officials to discuss his behavior, results, future, and contract status, so this situation is coming at a bad time for him.

There is already a lot of doubt about his future with the club's management following his recent public criticism of their summer transfer dealings and his red card in the 2-0 loss to Chelsea.

Even though Barcelona's financial situation is obvious, they are still interested in the 28-year-old for the time being. Real Madrid is hoping to shore up their defense in January without shelling out a ton of cash, so Manchester United may need to negotiate favorable terms with the Spanish giants to seal the deal.