He's been missing for more than 2 months: worries about the former Bayern star's injury

Manchester United is questioning the condition of Matthijs de Ligt, who has been absent through injury for more than two months now: the former Bayern Munich defender last played in the game against Crystal Palace in late November and has not set foot on the pitch since.

De Ligt has a back problem that initially seemed minor, but after a 12-game layoff is beginning to worry Red Devils management and fans. Coach Michael Carrick at a press conference was unable to set a date for the return of the Dutch central defender, who is struggling to recover from injury.

“Matthijs de Ligt is working to return to fitness, he is taking it one step at a time. The important thing is that he is improving every day and thinking positive”. Having arrived in Manchester from Munich for 42 million pounds, de Ligt had regained his best form in England after consistency problems highlighted in Germany.

With the Red Devils jersey this season he won more aerial duels than anyone else, and played every minute of every league game until the injury that forced him to stop. United has so far revealed no precise details about the back problem that has been plaguing him since last year, but the caution of the medical staff and the player, who delays his return each week, underscores that it is no minor injury.

Training with a back problem can be difficult and complicated for the player, who will need to regain the right form to be able to be deployed in games. De Ligt, 26, already has a wealth of international experience after playing at’Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich. This is his longest absence in his career, apart from a shoulder problem that stopped him in 2020 for three months when he wore the Juventus jersey.