Matthijs de Ligt has been out injured since December and the latest update on his fitness should raise serious questions for Ineos.
It has now been over three months since Ruben Amorim mentioned a minor Matthijs de Ligt injury, and since then every week has seen his return knocked back.
Michael Carrick confirmed it was worse than feared in January, but since then his return has felt two weeks away, every time we get an update.
De Ligt’s back injury has been a massive frustration, with set-back after set-back spoiling his season which had been excellent until that point. Now, the latest update should ring alarm bells.
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Matthijs de Ligt celebrates during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025 in London, England.
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Nathan Salt shares injury update on Matthijs de Ligt
Speaking on the Stretford Paddock, Daily Mail journalist Nathan Salt has made a startling claim about De Ligt’s status.
“The back problem he’s clearly got is bad”, Salt admitted regarding the elusive Dutchman who hasn’t even been in training since early December.
“I don’t think he’ll play again this season”, Salt then concluded, a startling verdict which unfortunately feels incredibly realistic right now.
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De Ligt has been spotted arriving to Carrington, but he then doesn’t partake in group training or even gym work.
This is a real shame, as De Ligt was United’s star of the season prior to injury and even in discussions to become the next captain after Bruno Fernandes.
But now difficult talks are needed.
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Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount split
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De Ligt’s Manchester United career might be over
For the first third of this season, De Ligt was absolutely brilliant, winning the club’s player of the month award for November which highlights his importance. However, that is no use to United if he is to spend the rest of this season injured with no promise his back won’t be a recurring issue.
Therefore, alarm bells should already be ringing over De Ligt and whether this calls for a brutal decision to be made and sell the Dutchman this coming summer and sign another defender in his prime years.
United spent £38m on De Ligt, which could have been a bargain had he not suffered this injury that looks like a potential season ending issue.
Of course United will know more about the situation and perhaps he will recover and he back to his best and injury free next season. But a back issue is rarely a one off, particularly when he has been out for so long with such little clarity.
United cannot go into next season with just Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven as reliable first team defenders considering it should be a far busier season than this.
Therefore, De Ligt could force United into a move for an Ousmane Diomande or Murillo this summer, potentially even a Jarrad Branthwaite or Malick Thiaw.
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