Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag has reminded Lisandro Martinez that his commitment to the club resumes in just a matter of days.

Martinez has enjoyed a whirlwind few days back in Argentina after the South Americans lifted the World Cup last Sunday. He may have only played a bit-part in their run to the trophy, but has been front and centre of their wild celebrations.

Martinez is still in his homeland celebrating with his compatriots, with few signs of an imminent flight back to rainy Manchester. But Ten Hag, who brought the defender to Old Trafford in the summer, has warned him that he “has to accept” the hard work starts again after Christmas.

United will need to hit the ground running after the mid-season break, with their main ambition remaining a top-four finish. Their Premier League campaign resumes on December 27 when they face struggling Nottingham Forest, before a trip to fellow relegation candidates Wolves on New Year’s Eve.

It remains to be seen whether Martinez, or France’s Raphael Varane, will be involved in the festive fixtures, although Ten Hag has made it clear he expects their return sooner, rather than later.

“(Martinez) has been celebrating in Buenos Aires and I can understand that. It’s the highest you can achieve,” Ten Hag said. “But also, Lisandro Martinez has to accept that on Tuesday the Premier League will go on.

“Of course (Varane) is disappointed about losing but I think also he can be proud that he was again in that final and of all that he achieved already in his career.”

Contract extensions

United have triggered one-year contract extensions for four first-team players, including England forward Marcus Rashford, Ten Hag said.

Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Fred and Luke Shaw were all in the final year of their deals but had an option to extend their contracts by 12 months.

Rashford has rediscovered his form this season under Ten Hag, playing 20 matches in all competitions and scoring nine goals. Dalot, Fred and Shaw have also been heavily involved, each making more than 15 appearances in all competitions.

“Yes, I can confirm it,” Ten Hag told the club’s website in an excerpt from an interview to be published on Tuesday.

“We are happy because the squad is going in the right direction and those players (have) a massive contribution in that direction. We want to develop, we want to support those players and we want them to keep in our process.

“So, that’s why we came to those decisions, I’m sure they are the right decisions. We want to construct a team for the future, so for longer years, and those players have to be part of it.”

Goalkeeper David De Gea, who is also in the last year of his contract and has a similar option for an extension, is yet to come to an agreement with the club. Ten Hag said in October he hoped the Spaniard would stay on at Old Trafford.

Conte not worried

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte said he is not concerned about Harry Kane after the England captain’s penalty miss against France at the World Cup in Qatar earlier this month.

Kane had drawn England level with France in the quarter-final tie with a successful spot kick that saw him match Wayne Rooney’s record haul of 53 goals.

He then had the chance to make it 2-2 late on after Mason Mount was barged over by Theo Hernandez in the area, but blazed his effort high over the crossbar. England lost 2-1 to France.

Asked if he was worried about Kane’s mindset upon the striker’s return to Spurs, Conte told reporters: “No, honestly because we’re talking about a world-class striker.”

“In football, you can have exciting moments and you can also have moments where you are a bit disappointed because you missed a penalty, the second penalty, as the first he scored,” added Conte, who was part of the Italy squad that lost to Brazil on penalties in the 1994 World Cup final.

“But for me, when I was a player, I never missed a penalty because I didn’t take one. Never! Because I was a real disaster at it. But with a penalty, I lost a World Cup against Brazil and I think you live through this moment, and you are really disappointed.

“For sure, the first period you are sad, but then you know that you have to move on. Football gives you the opportunity to have other chances to enjoy football... Honestly, I am not worried about him. I saw that he is very well in these two days with us.”

Conte said he is happy with the players he has but that the club will be active in the January transfer window if the right opportunity comes along.

“If there is the opportunity to strengthen the squad, we’ll do something. You know what is our politics and we try to follow these politics and to improve the team,” Conte said. Spurs take on 10th-placed Brentford on Monday.

Written with inputs from Reuters