Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has delivered a promising injury update regarding Tyrell Malacia’s return to full fitness.
The 25-year-old joined the Red Devils back in 2022 and was the first addition following the arrival of Ten Hag from Ajax Amsterdam as the new manager.
The Dutchman enjoyed a promising debut campaign at Old Trafford, helping his side finish third in the league with 75 points and win the Carabao Cup.
However, he has been sidelined with a serious knee injury for more than a year and he last played for the club against Fulham in the final game of the 2022/23 season.
Malacia didn’t play a single minute last campaign and hasn’t featured at all this season either. Now, Ten Hag has said that the 25-year-old has been working hard and ‘progressing really well’ towards full fitness.
Malacia set to return soon
The Dutch boss further states that Malacia has been making big steps and ‘at short notice’ he is set to return to full training with the first-team squad and ‘soon’ he will start playing games.
He said (club’s website):
“Of course, we want to motivate him to return, but it’s not so easy when you are so long away. Over a season now from an injury to return, but he’s working very hard, he’s progressing really well in this moment.
“He’s making big steps, so we think, at short notice, we can expect him in the team training, and he is a talent, it’s natural. I expect also, soon, he can return into games then.”
Man Utd struggled with their left-back issues last term as along with Malacia, Luke Shaw was also out injured with his injury problems. So, Ten Hag was left without a specialist left-back for the majority of last season.
Things haven’t improved much this campaign either as both remain sidelined. Shaw featured for England in the European Championship this summer but he sustained a fresh issue after returning to pre-season training.
So, Diogo Dalot has been used as the left-sided defender in the first few games but considering the fixtures will get contested from now on, United need the duo back quickly.
Therefore, it is a huge boost for United that Malacia will be able to play again soon and the Old Trafford faithful will be hoping that Shaw will also be able to return as quickly as possible.
