At a Glance
- De Ligt’s return remains unclear
- United were linked to Sergio Ramos in December
- INEOS need to look at replacing De Ligt
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick was asked about the availability of defender Matthijs De Ligt ahead of last Friday’s draw against Bournemouth.
The Dutch defender has not yet played for Carrick, and he is unlikely to feature for the rest of the season. De Ligt was a stonewall in United’s defence in the first half of the season, often one of the first names on the team sheet.
He has been out of action since the start of December, with no real explanation being given beyond the defender having back issues.
Carrick told reporters:
“It’s difficult to say, just because it’s taken that much time. With backs sometimes you think it’s all right and all of a sudden it’s not quite right. We’re just being patient and working through it. We’ll give him time and try to get him back as quickly as we can, but it’s really difficult to say.”
The United boss was also asked if surgery is a possibility. But he replied:
“I don’t want to get into that at this stage.”
No clear return for De Ligt
It continues the trend of the club letting on that they know more than what is being told to the public. Given he has already been out of action for four months, it is clearly more serious than first reported. It could be a fractured back or something worse, as United have experienced before.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faced criticism during his time in charge of the club for playing Marcus Rashford with an injured back for months. It was later revealed that he suffered a double back stress fracture that kept him out for around 2 months.
Even when accounting for the Dutchman’s age, De Ligt’s injury seems even more serious.
A Replacement must be Considered
It feels harsh to suggest that United should start looking for a replacement for De Ligt. He has been a reliable asset for the Red Devils since joining from Juventus. Whether under Erik ten Hag or Ruben Amorim, he was highly rated by both managers. Fans also understood the hype around him.
However, United need reliability, especially if they qualify for Champions League football. It could well seal Harry Maguire’s future at the club, which is currently up in the air. The England international is yet to sign a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in June.
De Ligt and Maguire were often rotated by Amorim, suggesting they have similar player profiles. However, the Reds need to invest in an experienced defender to mentor Leny Yoro over the next few seasons. INEOS are very high on the Frenchman being the future of United’s defence.
United were linked to a shock move for Sergio Ramos in December, who left Monterrey on a free transfer. These rumours were quickly shut down, but it points to the level of experience that the club should look at for the next one to two years.
