Complicated! Matthijs de Ligt targets Man Utd return before season ends

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has reportedly set his sight on a new return date as he continues to recover from a complex back issue.

De Ligt has not played a part in United sudden rise this season having been sidelined since the victory over Crystal Palace on November 30. Prior to the layoff, he was an ever-present figure in the starting XI, appearing in every one of United’s opening 13 league fixtures.

Expected to miss only a week of action, the Netherlands international has spent four months in the sideline and is currently undergoing intensive treatment at Carrington.

Though there is no green light on when the 26-year-old will return to grass-based training, reports claim he has set a timeline for himself.

Matthijs de Ligt celebrates scoring a goal for Manchester United. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

According to The Sun, De Ligt remains hopeful of returning to action before the end of the season, with his “complicated” back issue now improving.

With seven games left to play in the season, De Ligt is aiming to make his return in time to contribute during the final stretch of the campaign, and hoping for a miracle to get a place in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Man Utd interim manager Michael Carrick has been careful not to promise a specific comeback date for his star center-back. “It’s difficult to say, just because it’s taken that much time,” he said, as quoted by BBC.

“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.”