Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt may not play again in the Premier League until August due to ongoing back pain, according to reports.
The Netherlands international has not played since November with a back injury, and coach Michael Carrick has been forced to improvise defense at times during his tenure.
Carrick utilizes Aiden Haven and relies heavily on Lenny Yolo, while Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez have also been plagued by injuries at times.
“It’s difficult to be honest,” Carrick said last month when asked about De Ligt’s injury, explaining that the issue is very complex and difficult to treat.
“I think it’s because it took so long.
rank | player | manchester united salary |
|---|---|---|
1 | Casemiro | £350,000 |
2 | Bruno Fernandes | 300,000 pounds |
3 | Matthijs de Ligt | 195,000 pounds |
4 | harry maguire | £190,000 |
5 | Matheus Cunha | £180,000 |
6 | Benjamin Sesco | £160,000 |
=7 | luke shaw | £150,000 |
=7 | mason mount | £150,000 |
=7 | Brian Mbeumo | £150,000 |
10 | Nusser Mazrawi | 135,000 pounds |
“Yeah, I can’t say any more about that, really. It’s one of those things where sometimes you think you’re okay and then all of a sudden it doesn’t feel quite right.
“So we’re just going to be patient and get through it and see what happens.
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He has to make a decision…
“Of course we will give him time and try to get him back as soon as possible. But it’s really difficult to say. I’m not trying to hide anything.”
“We literally don’t know at this point, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
De Ligt faces race against time to qualify for World Cup
The Sun newspaper reported on Friday that the centre-back is unlikely to play again this season, which would require a total of six months out and jeopardize his World Cup chances.
De Ligt is usually first-choice for the Dutch national team alongside Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, but there are plenty of options for the position, including Micky van de Ven, Nathan Ake and Stefan de Vrij.
This is also a blow to Carrick. With seven games remaining in the Premier League this season, they are well on their way to qualifying for the Champions League, but their defense is becoming thinner by the week.
Maguire is suspended after receiving a red card against Bournemouth, but Martinez hopes to return after a long break.
Bruno Fernandes ‘gets goosebumps’ remembering Cristiano Ronaldo’s return
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes reflected on his joy at returning to Old Trafford as he delighted in equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth Premier League Player of the Month award.
The 31-year-old midfielder matched his illustrious compatriot on Friday to win the award for the month of March. During that time, he scored two goals and provided four assists, helping United move into third place in the table.
Fellow Portugal representative Ronaldo returned from Juventus the previous summer and won his sixth monthly award in April 2022, his second year at the club.
When asked about players he respects in a roundtable interview on the club’s official website, Fernandes said: “Cristiano is an easy player for me.
“He is Portuguese and everyone since 2000, I was born in 1994, from that age onwards everyone was looking at him and paying attention to him.
“He won the Ballon d’Or with this club, which was very special. All the fans here will never forget the day he came back against Newcastle.”
Best wingers in Premier League history – click to see full list | ||
|---|---|---|
rank | player | clubs played |
1 | mohamed salah | chelsea, liverpool |
2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | manchester united |
3 | ryan giggs | manchester united |
4 | eden hazard | chelsea |
5 | Gareth Bale | tottenham |
6 | david beckham | manchester united |
7 | sadio mane | southampton, liverpool |
8 | Riyad Mahrez | Leicester, Man City |
9 | Robert Pires | arsenal, aston villa |
10 | raheem sterling | Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal |
“It was an unforgettable day. He came back, scored two goals and looked like he never left anything. The atmosphere in the stadium that day was crazy. Probably the best I’ve ever experienced.”
“Not the rest, but just the fact that Cristiano is back, what was created around that, the way he entered the pitch, the way he showed, everything still gives me goosebumps.”
Ronaldo made his second debut for United on 11 September 2021, scoring his first two goals for the club in a 4-1 home win over the Magpies in the Premier League.
