According to Manchester Evening News, De Ligt is nearly fully recovered, and his return will be a major boost for Carrick.

Manchester United defender De Ligt is nearly fully recovered after undergoing back surgery.

As reported by Manchester Evening News, De Ligt has participated in a closed-door friendly match for Manchester United and is close to returning to squad contention.

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

Most of Manchester United's first-team players are currently on international duty, so the club fielded a very young lineup, but the club's official website confirmed that Baleba, Maguire, and Cunha all played.

The official website did not mention De Ligt, and there were no photos of him in the carefully curated gallery. Given that De Ligt is in the final stages of recovery, it is unsurprising that Manchester United did not want to create unrealistic expectations among fans.

De Ligt last played for Manchester United on 30 November against Crystal Palace, meaning he has not featured in an official match for 307 days.

The sequence of events is now clear. Amorim initially stated that De Ligt would miss only one match due to back discomfort, but he then missed the rest of the season. Eventually, in May, Manchester United decided to end conservative treatment and had him undergo surgery to address the issue.

When players are absent for extended periods, Manchester United is typically reluctant to provide a clear return schedule, as players need to return gradually, and announcing a date would only create unnecessary pressure.

The club always follows the principle of "taking as much time as needed to recover," so De Ligt and other players who have been absent for long periods will not be rushed back onto the pitch.

Manchester United hopes De Ligt will be fully recovered before returning to official matches. The good news is that the Dutch defender is nearly ready to be included in a squad for the first time since the Crystal Palace match.

There were earlier indications that De Ligt might return to the bench before the international break. Before the break, he travelled with the team to London for Manchester United's match against Fulham but ultimately did not make the squad.

Manchester United decided before the match to have De Ligt travel with the team to rejoin them, but he would not be on the bench at Craven Cottage. Nevertheless, travelling with the team itself proved that he is nearly back.

The friendly against Lausanne Sport on Friday afternoon represents the final stage of De Ligt's recovery process. This match will allow him to regain match fitness and serve as an important test to confirm whether the centre-back is pain-free.

The results of this test will become clear on 10 October when Manchester United play Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, and Carrick may also provide an update at the pre-match press conference.

Even if De Ligt passes his fitness assessment after the international break and makes the squad against Tottenham Hotspur, he will still need several weeks to regain full match fitness.

The starting centre-back pairing of Maguire and Lisandro Martinez is currently available, and Carrick also has Yoro and Haven as backup options, so there is no need to place immediate pressure on De Ligt.

Upon De Ligt's return, Manchester United will take things step by step with him. However, after missing so many matches, he will undoubtedly want to contribute to the team.

For Carrick, being able to select De Ligt again will be a major boost. Manchester United's defensive options currently still have some question marks, and it is easy to forget that De Ligt was one of Manchester United's best-performing players before injury.

Following a strong start to last season, he performed excellently in defence, 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 also the only Manchester United player to play every minute in every league match.

De Ligt also earned a recall to the Netherlands squad based on these performances. He stated: "I am now 26 years old, and I am confident I am entering the best years of my career, both physically and mentally. I have changed my mindset. Initially, I did not want to make mistakes; now I want to do as many things right as possible."

Amorim did not include De Ligt in the six-man leadership group, but he has always led by example through his performances and actively stepped forward to speak to the media after some poor results.

After Manchester United's 1-3 away defeat to Brentford, it was a humiliating loss, and team morale was very low. The security officer responsible for escorting players from the dressing room to the team bus said: "Not a single player will stop for an interview."

Usually, Manchester United players are reluctant to give interviews in the mixed zone after defeats. The security officer's prediction almost came true, but De Ligt eventually agreed to stop and say a few words.

De Ligt reiterated that players must take responsibility for their performances and reduce individual errors. Another staff member spoke about the centre-back as he boarded the bus: "He is performing very well right now." Manchester United needs De Ligt to rediscover this form upon his return.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com