Marc Skinner offers Ella Toone fitness update for Manchester United | OneFootball

Manchester City FC v Manchester United FC – Barclays Women’s Super League

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 19: Ella Toone of Manchester United scores her team’s fourth goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

Ella Toone is unlikely to be back on the field for Manchester United this month, says head coach Marc Skinner.

The news also suggests she will not be part of the forthcoming England squad for the Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and then Iceland in the first week of March.

Toone has been absent in recent weeks with a hip injury.

And on Thursday morning, Skinner said she was not quite ready to return – and would miss out on the forthcoming UEFA Women’s Champions League games in the round of 16 against Atletico Madrid.

“It does look like that,” he told a press conference. “It just needs time to heal, basically. So she won’t be involved in the first Champions League games. Hopefully if we can qualify through, hopefully we can get her involved for the next ones beyond that.”

The Champions League quarter-finals are scheduled for the end of March.

Last month, Toone had described it as “a disappointing time to be injured”, explaining: ““I think it’s really important to listen to your body, to listen to the people around you. Like there’s no point in rushing back because you don’t want to do it again or do something even worse.

“So, I know I’m in good hands. I know I’ve got to listen to the people around me, but it’s really exciting.”

Leah Galton on road to recovery

There was more positive news, however, on Leah Galton, who has been suffering from a back injury.

“She hopefully may potentially be back on the field going into the international break,” said Skinner.

The two other players who have been on the injured list in recent weeks, Gabby George and Fridolina Rolfo, were back last weekend in the squad to face Liverpool in the Barclays Women’s Super League. The Sweden international got on the scoresheet, scoring the third goal in a 3-1 win at Leigh.