Here’s the latest on Matthijs de Ligt’s injury after he hasn’t been in the Man Utd squad for eight months.

Here’s the latest on Matthijs de Ligt’s injury after he hasn’t been in the Man Utd squad for eight months.

Here’s a friendly update on Matthijs de Ligt’s back injury, though it’s not the best news for Manchester United as the new season approaches.

Last season, De Ligt played every minute in the Premier League until he got a back injury during a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in November. Back then, manager Ruben Amorim said it was a minor problem and expected him to be ready for the next game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

But now, in July, De Ligt hasn’t been included in any match squads since then. He missed the entire time Michael Carrick has been head coach and also wasn’t able to play for the Netherlands at this year’s World Cup.

Manchester United hasn’t shared much about his injury, but recently they confirmed that the 26-year-old had surgery to help him recover. The club said the operation went well and that after a careful rehab, De Ligt is expected to return early in the 2026/27 season.

Fans are eager to know when he’ll be back. Although the club hopes he returns early next season, reporter Andy Mitten mentioned in The National that it might take longer, possibly until autumn.

This news is a setback for Carrick, who needs a strong defense for the Champions League. But he got some relief as Lisandro Martinez’s injury from the World Cup final isn’t too serious, and the team expects him to be ready next month. Martinez played alongside Harry Maguire as United secured third place last season, earning a Champions League spot again.

In De Ligt’s absence, young players like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro stepped in, while Noussair Mazraoui showed great form against Chelsea in April.

This summer, United has mainly focused on strengthening their midfield, bringing in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa. Fans hoped for another signing after Casemiro left and Manuel Ugarte suffered a bad knee injury.

On defense, there were talks about adding new players on the left side. Crysencio Summerville was linked to United but ended up moving from West Ham to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall has also been mentioned, though they’d probably ask for a high price.

Still, Carrick isn’t too worried about the central defense right now. In April, he told reporters, “It’s not an area of concern for me at this moment.”