Mystery surrounding De Ligt's return: training, injury and selection
Matthijs de Ligt appears to be on the verge of making his return at Manchester United, but there remains an unresolved uncertainty about his first competitive minutes since the back surgery. While the 27‑year‑old is fully training with the team, the club itself has not yet given any confirmation.
Training and closed friendly match
De Ligt is now fully training again with Manchester United and, according to Roundtable, he has already logged minutes in a closed friendly against Lausanne‑Sport. The English top club, however, has not shared any footage or official statement about his involvement.
Long‑term back injury
The 27‑year‑old defender was out of the official match situation for more than ten months. Last season he started the first thirteen Premier League games for Manchester United in the starting eleven, but after the 1‑2 defeat to Crystal Palace he suffered a back injury. What was initially seen as a few weeks turned into a long‑term lower‑back problem, after which he underwent surgery in May.
Roundtable reports that De Ligt is making a good impression during training. Despite the reported playing minutes against Lausanne‑Sport, it remains unclear whether these are actually his first match minutes since the injury, because Manchester United has not released any footage.
The big question is whether De Ligt will be in the matchday squad on Saturday, 10 October, for the home clash against Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester United have kept a clean sheet only once this season, making a return of the Dutch defender welcome.
In addition, manager Michael Carrick is dealing with personnel issues: Patrick Dorgu suffered a hamstring injury against Denmark, while Noussair Mazraoui returned from his international duties with back problems.
Uncertainty also surrounds Benjamin Sesko and Amad Diallo, while Carlos Baleba appears closer to his official debut. The summer signing saw action against Lausanne‑Sport and was already on the bench for the international break during the match with Fulham.
For De Ligt, it remains a matter of waiting for an official confirmation from Manchester United, meaning the contrast between training optimism and public uncertainty continues to exist.