What does 'treatment and rehab' look like for De Ligt?

" Those were the words from Manchester United's Instagram account recently. Well, try telling that to Matthijs de Ligt. Unlike Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire, De Ligt didn't spend the other week in the plush surroundings of Carton House Hotel in Maynooth, 20 miles outside Dublin.

While most of the players were having a getaway, De Ligt was back in Manchester keeping himself in shape for when he gets the green light to start playing again. It is over four months since the Netherlands international last played. While sources stress his mood is good and he remains optimistic about a return before the end of this season, he is also acutely aware there will need to be some kind of lead-in time and games are running out.

There's also the reality that being within touching distance of securing a return to the Champions League, which may also prove decisive in Michael Carrick getting the full-time head coach role, may mean the man currently in charge is unlikely to take risks. Asked about the possibility last month, Carrick said he did not want to talk about surgery as a possible remedy to De Ligt's problem. It is understood that it isn't a path the player is speaking about either, and there is good reason for that.

No two cases are the same but Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams' recovery from back surgery in 2024 went well, yet it was nearly four months before he was ready to start games. There are also other examples of absences stretching on far longer. For now, De Ligt's wait goes on.