According to Manchester Evening News, Matthijs de Ligt is nearing full recovery and his return will be a significant morale boost for Carrick.

Matthijs de Ligt, Manchester United's defender, is close to full recovery following back surgery.

According to Manchester Evening News, Matthijs de Ligt has featured in Manchester United's closed-door friendly match and is expected to return to team training soon.

It is believed that Matthijs de Ligt participated in Manchester United's closed-door friendly against Lausanne Sport on Friday afternoon.

Most of Manchester United's key players are on international duty, so the club fielded primarily younger players. However, the club's official website confirmed that Balleba, Maguire, and Kuņa all featured.

The official website made no mention of Matthijs de Ligt and there were no images of him in the carefully curated gallery. Given that Matthijs de Ligt is in the final stages of recovery, it is unsurprising that Manchester United does not want to raise fans' expectations prematurely.

Matthijs de Ligt's last appearance for Manchester United was on 30 November in a match against Crystal Palace, meaning he has not played in a competitive fixture for 307 days.

The sequence of events is now clear. Initially, Amorim indicated that Matthijs de Ligt would miss only one match due to back pain, but he subsequently missed the remainder of that season. Finally, in May, Manchester United decided to end conservative treatment and have him undergo surgery to address the issue.

When a player has been injured for an extended period, Manchester United is typically reluctant to provide a clear return date, as players need to return to action gradually and announcing a timeline creates unnecessary pressure.

The club has consistently adhered to the principle of "taking as long as necessary," so Matthijs de Ligt and other players who have suffered long-term injuries will not be rushed back to action.

Manchester United wants Matthijs de Ligt to make a full recovery before he returns to competitive matches. The good news is that this Dutch defender is nearly ready to be named in a squad for the first time since the Crystal Palace match.

There were earlier indications that Matthijs de Ligt might return as a substitute before the international break. Before the break, he traveled with the team to London to face Fulham, but ultimately was not included in the squad.

Manchester United decided ahead of that match to have Matthijs de Ligt travel with the team to rejoin them but not be available as a substitute at Craven Cottage. However, traveling with the team itself is evidence that his return is imminent.

The friendly against Lausanne Sport on Friday afternoon is the final stage of Matthijs de Ligt's recovery process. This match will not only help him regain match sharpness but also serves as a crucial test to confirm that this centre-back is pain-free.

The results of that test will become clear when Manchester United face Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on 10 October. Carrick may provide an update during his pre-match press conference.

Although Matthijs de Ligt has passed fitness assessments since the international break and was named as a substitute in the Tottenham Hotspur match, he will still need several more weeks to return to full fitness.

With key centre-backs Maguire and Lisandro Martínez available and Carrick also having Yoro and Heynen as options, there is no need to rush Matthijs de Ligt immediately.

When Matthijs de Ligt returns, Manchester United will handle him carefully, step by step. However, after missing so many matches, he will certainly be eager to contribute to the team.

For Carrick, having Matthijs de Ligt available as an option again will be a significant boost. There are some questions about Manchester United's current defensive options, and it is easy to forget that Matthijs de Ligt was one of Manchester United's best players before his injury.

At the start of last season, he produced outstanding performances in defense and in November, before the international break, he helped the team secure a point against Tottenham Hotspur with a goal. At that time, he was the only Manchester United player to have played every minute in the league season.

De Ligt's performances earned him a recall to the Netherlands national team. He said: "I am 26 now, and I believe I am entering the best period of my career, both physically and mentally. I have changed my mindset. I don't want to make mistakes anymore. Now I want to do things correctly as much as possible."

Amorim did not name Matthijs de Ligt among his six team leaders, but he has consistently demonstrated leadership through his performances and has stepped forward to face the media following several poor results.

After Manchester United's 1-3 away defeat to Brentford, Amorim suffered an embarrassing loss and team morale dipped. The security official responsible for escorting players from the dressing room to the team bus said: "No one will stop for an interview, that's for sure."

Typically, Manchester United players are unwilling to speak with media in the mixed zone after a defeat. The security official's prediction seemed likely to come true, but Matthijs de Ligt stopped and said a few words.

Matthijs de Ligt emphasized that players must take responsibility for their performances and reduce individual errors. Another official, as he boarded the bus, spoke about the centre-back, saying: "He's playing really well right now." Manchester United will want Matthijs de Ligt to perform at that level when he returns to action.

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