Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has expressed uncertainty about when Matthijs de Ligt will be fit to return to action.
De Ligt had been a consistent presence in the team’s defense for the first 13 matches of the season until he unexpectedly missed the home game against West Ham on December 4.
Initially, head coach Ruben Amorim described the issue as a “small thing,” anticipating the Dutch defender would be back for the match against Wolves four days later.
However, De Ligt did not play for Amorim again. He is still recuperating from a back injury, and since he is set to miss this weekend’s match against Bournemouth, he would have been sidelined for over four months by the time Manchester United faces Leeds at Old Trafford on April 13.
When asked about the possibility of De Ligt not returning for the remainder of the season, Carrick refrained from speculation, acknowledging that the nature of the injury makes it impossible to provide a timeline for his recovery.
“It’s hard to say, especially since it has been this prolonged,” he stated.
“With back injuries, you might think things are improving, but then suddenly they don’t feel right again.
“We’re being patient and working through the process. We will give him the necessary time and aim to get him back as soon as possible, but it’s really tough to predict.”
There had been hopes that De Ligt would be selected for the Netherlands squad for this summer’s World Cup, having been included by national coach Ronald Koeman for qualifying matches in September and November.
However, those aspirations are dwindling as De Ligt continues to address his back issue, with Carrick opting not to discuss the possibility of surgery at this point.
“I prefer not to go into that for now,” he remarked.
“We’re doing everything we can to support him and are currently addressing the situation.
“I’m not trying to conceal anything. He is making progress, it’s just slower than we would all like.”