Lima leaves Manchester United to join the Argentina squad, the reasons revealed! He may return as Casemiro’s substitute.

Lisandro Martínez, who missed Manchester United’s game against Tottenham, departed Carrington and returned to Argentina to take part in national team training to accelerate his comeback. More than nine months have passed since Lima’s ACL injury in the early-year match versus Crystal Palace.

Lima rejoined Manchester United’s group training at the end of October, but he has not been included in the squad by Amrabat for the last two matches as he is still regaining match fitness. Since the club has many breaks during the international window with no training sessions, the Red Devils have permitted Lima to return to South America to train with the Argentina team.

Although Lima was not selected for Scaloni’s official squad, he will train alongside his national teammates. With Argentina having official fixtures, the training intensity and quality are higher. Argentina correspondent Gastón Edul confirmed that Lima has left Manchester and flown back to join the national team.

After joining the Argentina squad, Lima will not participate in matches but will benefit from a comprehensive training program, allowing him to work harder on his development and rebuild his match intensity within a competitive environment.

Argentina will play a friendly against Angola on November 14th, and Manchester United will return to Premier League action 10 days later, hosting Everton. United hopes that 27-year-old Lima will undergo more competitive training to improve his fitness and form, preparing for a possible comeback against Everton.

According to British media reports, when the "Argentine Butcher" recovers, he will initially serve as a substitute, but his role might vary; he may not always play as a center-back and could have the chance to be Casemiro’s backup in the defensive midfield position!

During his time at Ajax, after transferring from Defensa y Justicia in Argentina, Lima spent a significant period playing as a defensive midfielder, filling the gap left by Frenkie de Jong’s move to Barcelona. After a season in midfield, the Argentine warrior moved back to center-back, proving he has the capability to perform well in midfield roles.

Early in his career, Lima played multiple positions; he started as a left winger before transitioning to center-back. In the Argentine league, he was nicknamed "Little Trouble" for his intense playing style and excellent skills, able to control attacking play. At Ajax, Ten Hag initially deployed Daley Blind as defensive midfielder and Lima as center-back, but soon realized the opposite arrangement was better. Lima formed a strong midfield partnership with fellow versatile player Edson Álvarez, with the Dutch coach calling the Argentine international "the butcher" when playing in midfield, where he could drop back to collect the ball from defense and then advance forward.

Currently, Manchester United is not short of center-backs. Luke Shaw has switched to left center-back this season; although his start was shaky, he has gradually adapted, playing full matches with few errors. In contrast, when Casemiro is subbed off, the midfield loses control; Ugarte is underperforming, and Cody Meno is not favored by Amrabat.

Lima is a ball-playing center-back known for his precise passing. His height of 175 cm is a disadvantage as a defender but less so in midfield. Therefore, within the current squad, Lima might be the best candidate to replace "Fat Tiger." If Amrabat does not try Lima in midfield, many might find it hard to understand.