Argentina and Manchester United’s Lisandro “Licha” Martínez set alarm bells ringing on Sunday when he was taken off the field on a stretcher. 

The former Ajax and Newell’s Old Boys defender was fighting for a ball during the Red Devils’ clash with Crystal Palace, when his foot got stuck in the grass mid-sprint. Martínez dropped to the ground, in visible pain. At the medics’ orders, he was stretchered off in tears, to an ovation from the Manchester United fans.

While the nature of Martínez’s injury — and his recovery time — remain unclear, the Red Devils’ boss Ruben Amorim described the injury as “a serious situation” after the match.

This is bad news for Argentina’s men’s national team, which is slated to play key 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Uruguay in just over a month.

While head coach Lionel Scaloni has rotated the position of left center back recently, the prospect of losing Martínez is a concern for the Albiceleste’s defense. The question is, who could take his spot?

Nicolás Otamendi

Logic says that when a position opens up, the last guy who did the job is a solid bet. Nicolás Otamendi formed an incredible pairing with Cristian Romero for Argentina before the 2024 Copa América, offering grit, determination and a bit of madness to his partner’s more methodical (if at times excessively forceful) approach.

Soon turning 37, Otamendi often tops lists of Qatar 2022 winners who won’t be back in 2026. That said, so far he remains in incredible shape. He’s been key to Portuguese giants Benfica, captaining the team and showing incredible staying power. While he may not be in it for the long haul, Otamendi would likely be a safe bet for the upcoming fixtures.

Facundo Medina

Martínez’s most natural successor among the players close to Scaloni, this could be Medina’s chance to secure a spot for the 2026 World Cup. Left-footed like the Red Devils player, he can also temporarily play left back like Martínez does, making him particularly useful for the head coach.

A key man for Lens in the French league, the 25-year-old’s excellent passing can be an asset for a team that looks to build up attacks from behind like Scaloni’s. However, he can be a touch too forceful in defense, which could prove troublesome if he’s matched with Romero as a partner.

Valentín Gómez

Arguably the best central defender in the 2024 Argentine Primera División, at just 21 years old Valentín Gómez is in many ways the perfect heir to Martínez. A courageous defender never afraid of putting his body on the line, much like the former Newell’s man, Gómez is extremely smart at reading play and intercepting attacks, and is also able to get the ball up the pitch.

The sticking point is his contract. He could be slated for a move to Italian side Udinese, facilitated by business magnate Foster Gillett, but it’s far from a done deal. The proceedings could keep him off the pitch long enough for Scaloni to consider other options.