De Ligt undergoes surgery and will be out for Man United till 2026/27

De Ligt undergoes surgery and will be out for Man United till 2026/27

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has undergone surgery to address the back injury that has sidelined him since November.

The Man Utd centre-back is now expected to miss the start of next season. The Dutch international will miss the 2026 World Cup.

The 26-year-old has not featured since the game between Man United and Crystal Palace in November, despite optimism from within Old Trafford that he was nearing a return.

The operation was confirmed by Man United on Friday, with the club describing the procedure as successful and necessary after rehabilitation failed to resolve the issue.

De Ligt had initially only been ruled out for a short period by former head coach Ruben Amorim.

Meanwhile, interim boss Michael Carrick later suggested the defender had resumed grass training and could still feature before the end of the campaign.

However, Man United have now accepted that the problem was more serious and complex than first anticipated.

In a statement released by the club, De Ligt admitted he had exhausted every avenue in an effort to return without surgery.