Erik ten Hag confirms Man Utd player suffering from long-term injury could return next week

Erik ten Hag has given a positive injury update on Kobbie Mainoo, and said the midfielder could be back in the Manchester United squad next week.

The teenager hasn’t played once this season due to an ankle injury he sustained during a July friendly against Real Madrid, but returned to team training several weeks ago. Mainoo sat out a behind-closed-doors match against Barnsley during the international break as it was deemed to have come too soon in his recovery schedule.

However, speaking ahead of Saturday’s game against Sheffield United, Ten Hag revealed Mainoo is progressing and might be available for next week’s matches against Copenhagen and Manchester City.

“Kobbie, he’s close, he’s already training with us, not today but next week he will have some minutes in the team then he can catch up, he’s really improving and ready to get back in the squad for games,” the Dutchman said on Friday.

United are without four defenders for this weekend’s trip, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw all suffering from long-term injuries. But the United boss said he expects at least one of those to be back before the next international break in November.

“Of course they are closer, but with Shaw, I don’t expect him back in this block of games. Wan-Bissaka is not too far away from returning to team training and so back in the team.”

United suffered a fresh injury blow over the break with Casemiro picking up a knock that means he will miss Saturday's game. The ex-Real Madrid man sustained a minor injury in the 1-1 draw with Venezuela last week and was replaced in the latter stages, but went on to play 90 minutes on Wednesday as Brazil lost to Uruguay, before it was subsequently announced he has been ruled out for United this weekend.

Asked if he was unhappy with Brazil’s handling of the situation, Ten Hag replied: “You can’t, they are the rules. And he’s played for his nation and he's playing for us and we all understand Casemiro is a soldier and he is always available for every game.

“He was injured in the first game [for Brazil] and he came off but he played the second game, it was an important one. I’m sure that game didn’t help him but it’s a small injury and he’ll return next week and he will be healed and ready for our next game, I'm sure.”