Fresh details have emerged about the continued absence of Matthijs de Ligt, who was ruled out with a back injury in November.
Matthijs de Ligt has not been part of a single Manchester United squad since the end of November, when he played 90 minutes against Crystal Palace in a 2-1 victory away from home.
Prior to his back injury, the Dutch defender was alongside Bryan Mbeumo in competing for the award of United’s best player of the season, having played every minute of Premier League football for the first 13 games in the competition.
Since his injury, United have sacked Rúben Amorim, appointed Darren Fletcher as interim coach, and appointed Michael Carrick until the end of the season.
At the same time, Lisandro Martínez and Harry Maguire have returned and formed a good partnership at centre-back, while Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven have also had encouraging spells in the side, spelling possible worry for De Ligt.
Fresh De Ligt injury details emerge
Initially, no one quite understood why De Ligt had stopped being selected, with Amorim initially stating it was just a small issue. But, as his absence lengthened, it emerged that the centre-back had been suffering from a back problem.
Now, the Manchester Evening News have revealed further details on the injury. According to the report, De Ligt had already been carrying a back problem earlier in the season, but aggravated it during the win over the Eagles.
While there have been no significant setbacks in his rehabilitation, De Ligt has had moments where he’s felt close to a return, only for the pain to resurface and delay the possibility of training.
It is noted that his return could finally happen within the next month or so, meaning he could be expected back in action by mid-March.
De Ligt will have to start from scratch
Despite his brilliant form at points earlier in the season, De Ligt will have to start his fight back to the starting XI from scratch.
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In the three months he’s been injured, United have not only seen Maguire, Martínez, Yoro, and Heaven put in brilliant displays, but they’ve also switched from three centre-backs to two, meaning there is less space in the starting line-ups.
Maguire and Martínez themselves are prone to spells on the sidelines, meaning once the Dutchman is back in action, he may well get his chance to shine again, although he will have to work hard in training to convince Carrick.
De Ligt is not at risk of being moved on this season due to United’s more pressing priority transfer areas, such as midfield and left-wing, but if he cannot stay fit consistently once the club returns to European competition, 2026/27 could be one that very much shapes his long-term career at Old Trafford.
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