Injury Updates: De Ligt, Mount, Sesko – United's Pre-Season Challenges

Manchester United are seven days from the Premier League curtain-raiser at Hull, and Michael Carrick goes into the final stretch of pre-season with his squad already patched up.

The final friendly, against AC Milan today, is no longer just about rhythm or sharpness. It’s about survival. Carrick needs his players walking off that pitch in one piece.

Several key names are already doubts or ruled out. Others are racing the clock. Here’s where United stand.

Matthijs de Ligt – long road back

Injury: Back
Last appearance: November
Possible return: Unknown

Matthijs de Ligt hasn’t pulled on a United shirt in a competitive game since November. Back surgery cut his season short and turned his summer into rehab rather than reset.

There is progress. He’s back working on grass and travelled with the squad to the Republic of Ireland for this week’s training camp, integrating again with the group. But there has been no firm indication of when he will be ready to play.

For now, his return remains a hope, not a date in the diary.

Tom Heaton – innocuous strain, serious outcome

Injury: Hamstring
Injured vs: PSG in Gothenburg
Possible return date: Everton, September 6

Tom Heaton’s problem looked like nothing at first glance. A routine substitution against PSG in Gothenburg, no obvious distress, no alarm bells.

The scan told a different story.

Heaton is facing at least a few weeks out with a hamstring issue that has proved more serious than initially thought. He will learn the full extent of the damage next weekend, but United are already planning for a spell without their experienced goalkeeper.

Everton on September 6 is the earliest realistic target.

Mason Mount – Hull start off the table

Injury: Foot
Injured vs: PSG
Possible return date: Hull, August 22 (squad, not XI)

When Mason Mount went off less than 20 minutes into the clash with PSG, the fear was immediate. A major setback, right before the season.

Those fears eased quickly. Mount left the stadium walking freely, no limp, no protective boot. Yet the knock has lingered enough to keep him out of the Leeds friendly and today’s meeting with Milan.

With no minutes in United’s final two pre-season games, Mount will not start at Hull. The best-case scenario is a place on the bench, easing him back into competitive action rather than throwing him straight into the firing line.

Benjamin Sesko – striker still stuck on the sidelines

Injury: Shin
Injured vs: Liverpool, early May
Possible return date: Ipswich, August 30

Benjamin Sesko’s pre-season never really started. The Slovenian forward hasn’t played a single minute as he continues to recover from the shin injury he suffered in the win over Liverpool in early May.

The plan earlier in the summer was clear: get him on the pitch in one of the late friendlies, build some rhythm, and push for involvement on opening day. His absence from the squad to face Milan shows that target has already slipped.

Bryan Mbeumo is now nailed on to lead the line at Hull. Sesko has been out too long to be thrown straight into that game, and it’s hard to picture him even making the squad.

Realistically, Ipswich on August 30 looks like his first genuine chance of a competitive return.

Manuel Ugarte – a brutal blow

Injury: Knee ligament
Injured vs: Spain, World Cup
Possible return date: 2027

Manuel Ugarte’s situation is the harshest of all.

The midfielder was stretchered off in Uruguay’s World Cup defeat to Spain in June with a serious knee ligament injury – the kind that can reshape a career. Ugarte later spoke about “the most serious injury a footballer can face” and the pain of leaving the pitch in one of the biggest matches in his country’s history.

The timeline reflects the severity. United do not expect him back until 2027. His battle now is long-term: recovery, resilience, and the hope of returning stronger.

Karl Darlow – waiting for a first glimpse

Injury: Unknown (pre-existing issue)
Possible return date: Not specified

Karl Darlow arrived at United carrying a pre-existing problem and has yet to feature in any pre-season squad. The club do not consider the issue serious, but his absence from matchday groups has stretched on.

For now, his situation sits in that frustrating middle ground: not alarming, but not resolved.

One week from Hull, Carrick’s plans already need adjusting. A defence without De Ligt, a forward line missing Sesko’s presence, a midfield robbed of Ugarte’s steel, and a playmaker in Mount who may only be fit enough to watch the first whistle from the bench.

The season hasn’t even started, and United are already learning how deep their squad really is.