Ella Toone: Marc Skinner confirms return timeline for Manchester United star | OneFootball

Manchester United and England fans finally have a clearer picture of when Ella Toone will be back on the pitch.

The 26-year-old playmaker has been sidelined since late 2025, but head coach Marc Skinner has confirmed that her return to action is now insight.

Toone, who has been nursing a frustrating hip injury (initially diagnosed as a bone stress response), has not featured for the Red Devils since their League Cup quarter-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur in December.

While there were whispers that she might make a sensational return for this Saturday’s massive Manchester derby at Old Trafford, Skinner has opted for a more cautious approach to ensure his star number seven is fully fit for the season’s run-in.

When will Ella Toone return?

Speaking ahead of United’s upcoming fixtures, Skinner revealed that the club is targeting the first game after the April international break for Toone’s comeback.

“The plan is, hopefully, the game after the international break,” Skinner explained. “That is the aim for her, should everything go well.

She is training on the field and doing individual bits. She will hopefully be back with more team bits soon enough.”

With the international window running from April 8 to 16, United are looking at the away clash against Tottenham on April 26 as the primary target.

However, this date remains subject to change depending on the club’s progression in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

A significant miss for club and country

Toone’s absence has been a blow for both Marc Skinner and Sarina Wiegman.

Before her injury, the Tyldesley-born midfielder was in scintillating form, leading United’s creative charts with eight assists and three goals in the first half of the campaign.

Her sideline spell means she will miss not only the Manchester derby but also United’s crucial Champions League quarter-final ties against Bayern Munich.

On the international front, Toone is set to sit out England’s high-stakes World Cup qualifier against Spain.

Easing back into the fold

Despite the frustration of four months in the gym, Toone has remained positive.

Speaking recently on the Inside Carrington podcast, she admitted that while she “hates missing football,” she is focused on returning “bigger and stronger.”

United have bolstered their squad depth recently to cope with such injuries, but there is no doubt that having a player of Toone’s calibre back on the grass will be a massive boost as the WSL title race and European ambitions reach their climax.

For now, the message is clear: no risks will be taken with one of England’s most vital creative sparks. The countdown to late April is officially on.