Man Utd centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is expected to make his comeback from a back injury at some point “next month”, according to reports.
The Dutchman has been out of contention since the end of November, and The Sun claim that the defender looks set for several more weeks on the sidelines.
De Ligt is believed to have suffered a minor setback last month, and that has delayed his return to action.
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There was a chance that the 26-year-old would require surgery but the decision has been made not to undergo an operation, which could have forced him to be out for even longer.
How many more Man Utd games could the defender miss?
De Ligt has already been unavailable for 14 matches, with his last outing coming against Crystal Palace in the 2-1 win at Selhurst Park two and a half months ago.
The Red Devils have just one fixture (against Everton NEXT Monday) before the end of February, so in the best-case scenario, de Ligt could return to the matchday squad for the home fixture versus Palace on March 1st.
However, there are no guarantees due to the complications he has already had in his recovery. De Ligt’s comeback could be delayed well into next month, depending on how he copes with full training.
De Ligt had been playing well before his injury
The Netherlands international had been widely praised for his form at the start of the season. Speaking about his performances in mid-November, United legend Rio Ferdinand said:
“De Ligt has been our best defender this season, he is even adding goals for us, like the last-minute goal [against Tottenham] the other day.”
“But in terms of his press, he’s assertive and has the willingness to go into foreign areas of the pitch to defend at the right times. His clearing out of his box is brilliant.”
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