Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick confirmed that Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Šeško are both back in training ahead of the club’s Premier League opener against Hull City on Saturday, though neither will be available for the match itself. Mason Mount remains a doubt for the same fixture after picking up a foot injury during preseason.
Why has De Ligt been out so long?
De Ligt has not played a competitive match since United’s win over Crystal Palace at the end of November 2025, when a back issue that was initially described as minor turned into a far longer layoff. The problem eventually required surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of last season and costing him a place in the Netherlands squad for the World Cup. Carrick said the defender is now moving in the right direction, though he stopped short of naming a specific return date, with some reporting suggesting De Ligt may not rejoin the matchday squad until October.
What is Šeško’s situation?
Šeško has been sidelined since suffering a shin injury in United’s win over Liverpool in May, an issue that kept him out of the entire preseason schedule. He returned to full training this week, and Carrick indicated he could be included in the squad for Hull depending on how the final days before kickoff go. The 23-year-old will be looking to build on last season’s tally of 12 goals across all competitions once he works his way back into match fitness.
What happened with Mason Mount?
Mount suffered a foot injury during United’s preseason friendly against Paris Saint-Germain on Aug. 8 and has not trained since. Carrick described the situation as closely managed rather than serious, saying the midfielder is close to a return but that the weekend fixture remains uncertain, with a more likely reappearance sometime next week. Mount has dealt with a string of fitness setbacks since joining United in 2023, and Carrick praised how well he had been playing before the injury interrupted his preseason.
What does this mean for United’s opening lineup?
Even without De Ligt, Šeško and possibly Mount, Carrick will have most of his strongest squad available for Hull. Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo are all expected to start, while new signings Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos could make their competitive debuts. New goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who joined on a free transfer and missed preseason after a minor procedure, has also returned to training and is in contention for a squad spot.
What comes next for United?
Saturday’s trip to newly promoted Hull City opens United’s Premier League campaign following a third-place finish last season. With De Ligt and Šeško both back on the grass and Mount closing in on a return, Carrick’s squad depth should improve steadily over the coming weeks, even if patience is required before all three are ready to feature.
