Manchester United’s pre-season is underway, and one of the biggest question marks walking through the doors at Carrington isn’t a new signing. It’s Matthijs de Ligt, and he’s not walking so much as rehabbing.
The 26-year-old center-back missed the second half of last season with a back injury that eventually needed surgery. No World Cup call-up came this summer, so De Ligt went under the knife in May. That means he’ll miss the start of the upcoming season too, likely a decent chunk of it.
But he’s back at United’s revamped training complex now, working through an individual program. The Manchester Evening News reported that while De Ligt wasn’t in the team photos United released Thursday, he has been at Carrington on and off all summer. He did some rehab work abroad after the surgery, but he’s been grinding in Manchester too.
The club is apparently happy with how his recovery is going. There’s a feeling inside Carrington that the worst of this back issue is behind him. But let’s be real — back problems for a center-back are never a casual thing. One twist, one awkward landing, and you’re back to square one.
Carrick’s Defense Has Limited Room for Error Right Now
Michael Carrick hasn’t gotten a single minute out of De Ligt yet, and the manager has to plan a season without him for now. All the focus in the transfer market has been on midfield reinforcements, which makes sense. But it leaves the backline looking a little thin if things go sideways.
INEOS apparently has no plans to add more defenders this window. That’s a bet. A risky one, considering the injury histories on this roster. Lisandro Martinez has missed chunks of two straight seasons. Luke Shaw can’t stay on the field. Harry Maguire has had his own durability issues. United is basically hoping none of those guys break down before De Ligt is ready to play.
That’s a lot of faith to put in a group that hasn’t earned it lately.
De Ligt, for his part, seems determined to get back as soon as he can. He’s done the surgery, put in the summer work, and is now grinding alone at Carrington while his teammates do team drills. The guy wants to make up for lost time.
But back surgeries are tricky. Even when the club says everything is on track, the real test comes when you start taking contact and playing games. United will be careful with him, no doubt. The question is whether the guys holding the fort can stay healthy long enough for him to come back and actually help.
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