Manchester United’s preparations for the upcoming season have hit a major setback with the news that their new £52 million defender, Leny Yoro, will be sidelined for three months, while striker Rasmus Hojlund will be out for six weeks due to injuries sustained during a pre-season match.
Yoro, who joined United from French side Lille in a high-profile transfer earlier this summer, suffered his injury during United’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The 18-year-old defender was visibly affected by the injury and was seen at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) training base on Tuesday with a protective boot and crutches.
This has led to significant concern regarding the severity of his condition. Further examinations upon his return to the UK will provide more details, but initial estimates suggest he will be out until the end of October.
Yoro’s absence will be a significant blow to Manchester United, as he is expected to miss nine Premier League matches, including high-profile fixtures against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Aston Villa.
Additionally, he will not be available for the start of United’s Europa League and Carabao Cup campaigns. The team will have to rely on their remaining defensive options and may need to adjust their defensive strategies in his absence.
Striker Rasmus Hojlund, who scored United’s opening goal against Arsenal, also suffered an injury in the same match. The Danish forward is dealing with a hamstring issue and will miss the first six weeks of the season.
This means Hojlund will be unavailable for the Liverpool game at Old Trafford on September 1, which is expected to be a crucial early-season fixture.
The injuries come at a challenging time for United, as they look to integrate new signings and build momentum ahead of the Premier League season.
The club’s medical team will be working diligently to ensure that both Yoro and Hojlund return to full fitness as soon as possible.
The setbacks have reignited speculation about Manchester United’s defensive options. The club had previously shown interest in Everton’s Jarred Branthwaite and Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt.
With Yoro’s extended absence, there is renewed speculation that United may accelerate efforts to secure one of these players to bolster their defensive options.
Both Branthwaite and De Ligt have been linked with the club throughout the summer transfer window, and the current injury situation could potentially expedite United’s pursuit.
As Manchester United continues their pre-season tour, the focus will be on adapting to the absence of two key players and ensuring that the squad is prepared for the upcoming season.
The team’s next fixture is against Real Betis in San Diego, where they will look to build on their 3-2 victory and address the challenges posed by the injuries to Yoro and Hojlund.
 training base on Tuesday){kind=link}