No guarantee Matthijs de Ligt will play again this season but Manchester United hopeful he will return | OneFootball

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has claimed there is no guarantee Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt will play again this season.

However, sources at the Old Trafford club close to the Red Devils star are hopeful he will return from his back injury before the end of the term, according to the Independent.

De Ligt has been unavailable for selection for Man United since last November but has reportedly been doing gym and rehabilitation work in recent days.

The 26-year-old has suffered setbacks in his attempt to return from the lower back problem, and Carrick is not convinced he will play again this season.

“Honestly, it’s difficult to say,” the Man United boss replied yesterday when asked whether there is a risk the Dutchman will not return before the season is out.

“I think it’s just because it’s taken that much time.

“Yeah, I can’t give you any more on it, really. It’s one of those things with backs that, sometimes, you think it’s alright and then, all of a sudden, it’s not quite right.

“So, we’re just kind of being patient and working through it, and we’ll just have to see.

“We’ll obviously give him time and try to get him back as quickly as we can. But it’s really difficult to say. I am not trying to hide anything.

“Literally, at the moment, we don’t know, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

Man United sources have told the Press Association the aim is to get De Ligt back playing this term, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks.

Carrick has settled for Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro in the absence of the Dutchman and Lisandro Martinez.

Patrick Dorgu could also have played his last game for the season from the look of things.

The Dane sustained a hamstring injury against Arsenal in January and was .