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Man Utd centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has explained why he has been forced into having an operation on his back.

The Dutchman has been trying to recover full fitness since last November, but following the announcement that he will undergo the knife, he said:

“After 6 months of treatment and working hard to get back, surgery was the only option left.

“I’m disappointed I couldn’t help the team the last 6 months and obviously missing out on the World Cup, but I am looking forward to doing everything to get back in front of the fans and feeling better again.”

De Ligt won’t be ready for pre-season

Man Utd’s official statement says that the 26-year-old is hoping to make his comeback in the “early stages of the 2026/27 season.”

It means that de Ligt is unlikely to be in contention for the first game of the new campaign, with his recovery from surgery set to take months.

The Netherlands international has already been sidelined for nearly half a year, having last played against Crystal Palace in the 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.

This latest setback suggests he may spend between 9 and 11 months in total on the sidelines if he makes his return in August, September or October, which is the current estimate given by the club.

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Will Man Utd now sign a centre-half?

The injury blow may lead to the Red Devils re-assessing their summer transfer plans. Director of Football Jason Wilcox had looked at a couple of options to strengthen the middle of the defence – Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo.

“Background checks” have reportedly been done on the pair, but it was decided that there was sufficient depth in the centre-back position. There could be change of stance following this latest news on de Ligt.

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