​Manchester United have kicked off their pre-season preparations with the full complement of senior players who did not participate in the World Cup all reporting to Carrington. Chief among them is Matthijs de Ligt, who missed the latter part of last season due to a back injury. With a call-up to the Netherlands squad not on the cards, the 26-year-old elected to undergo surgery, meaning he will miss a significant portion of the early stages of the forthcoming campaign.
De Ligt has yet to feature under Michael Carrick in competitive action, but he appears intent on making up for the lost time, dedicating himself to a rigorous rehabilitation program. According to the Manchester Evening News, the former Bayern Munich defender is presently at United’s newly renovated training complex, undertaking an individualized plan as he recovers from back surgery. The report noted that while there was no sight of de Ligt in the club’s initial pre-season training photos released on Thursday, he has returned to Carrington and is maintaining his fitness through a personal regimen. The 26-year-old has conducted some work abroad since undergoing surgery in May, but he has also spent time at Carrington during the summer to sustain his conditioning.
The Red Devils are encouraged by the speed of De Ligt’s recovery and are optimistic that the worst of the issue is now behind him. There is a sense of confidence within the camp that his back problem is resolved following the operation, according to the MEN report. While the emphasis for the squad remains on strengthening the midfield, Carrick will be mindful that the defense could be vulnerable if another injury strikes. It was noteworthy that INEOS reportedly does not plan to add more players to the backline, despite the injury histories of Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire.
As things stand, the club’s strategy is to navigate the early part of the season with De Ligt’s return on the horizon, hoping none of the existing first-choice backline endure a setback before he is back in action. Manchester United, the 20-time English league champions, will be keen to avoid exacerbating defensive issues until their compatriot is fully fit again and integrated into the squad’s plans.
Feature image: Michael Regan via Getty Images
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