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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed that defender Tyrell Malacia is close to making a return to club football. The Netherlands international was pictured training individually in July and has been named in the Red Devils' 25-man Europa League squad this season.
Malacia suffered a knee injury in the 2022-23 season and has been out of action since then. The club's official website quoted Ten Hag's update on the 25-year-old's fitness. However, he advised caution due to the nature of his injury and the duration of his absence.
"Of course, we want to motivate him to return, but it’s not so easy when you are so long away," Ten Hag said. "Over a season now from an injury to return, but he’s working very hard, he’s progressing really well in this moment."
The former Ajax manager said that the talented Malacia can be expected in team training soon.
"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."
Malacia followed his manager in making the move from the Netherlands to England. He became the club's first senior signing under Ten Hag when he swapped Feyenoord for Manchester United in 2022.
In his debut season, he made 39 appearances but missed the entirety of last season as the club won the FA Cup.
Manuel Ugarte set for Manchester United debut
Summer signing, Manuel Ugarte is in line to make his Manchester United debut this weekend. He is yet to make an appearance for the Red Devils, having arrived this summer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a deal worth an initial £42 million.
Ahead of the international break, Ten Hag had said that the 23-year-old needs to build his fitness first. He said that it could be maybe months before he puts on the United jersey in an official match.
Ugarte's involvement with Uruguay, however, seems to have changed his club manager's mind. The former PSG star started both of his country's World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Venezuela.
Ten Hag, in his press conference on Thursday, made a u-turn on his thought process of integrating Ugarte into the side.
"Manuel Ugarte, we all have seen he played for Uruguay, he returned this afternoon, he was the only player who returned today, all the others returned yesterday so he is available for this game," the Dutchman admitted.
Ugarte's inclusion could also be due to the form of Brazilian Casemiro. The Brazilian was hooked off at half-time in Manchester United's 3-0 loss to rivals Liverpool in their last match before the international break. He made two costly mistakes against the Merseysiders.
