De Ligt out until autumn
A brutal blow before the season even begins. Sources close to the club confirm Matthijs de Ligt will miss the start of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign after back surgery, with a return not expected until autumn (1) (3) (5). United's defence is already thin. The Dutchman is your most experienced centre-back and now Michael Carrick must find a solution for the opener against Hull City without him.
Martínez should be ready for Hull
Not all bad news. Lisandro Martínez is expected to be fit for the Premier League opener against Hull City, according to the same reports (3). Carrick is managing two very different timelines: Martínez back in time, de Ligt sidelined for weeks. That pairing was supposed to be the foundation. Instead, half of it is in the treatment room.
United trying to beat Chelsea to Alex Scott
Bournemouth's Alex Scott has rejected a new contract and United want to move first (2). Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all watching. Former United scout Mick Brown laid it out: "If he's not signing a new contract, then those interested clubs will all be seeing whether or not he could be allowed to leave, and Man United do not want to miss out" (2). Brown added he is not convinced Scott is the right profile, a Casemiro replacement he is not, but the club rate him highly and will not risk losing him to a rival (2).
Juventus eye Zirkzee
Joshua Zirkzee is on Juventus' radar (4). The forward barely got going at Old Trafford and the Italian club are assessing their options, with Randal Kolo Muani also on their list (4). Zirkzee has previously expressed a desire to leave for Juventus. This one feels like it has legs.
Rashford told to make an "almighty statement"
Marcus Rashford is due back from an 18-month loan at Barcelona and the message from those close to the club is blunt: he needs an "almighty statement" to have any hope of resurrecting his United career under Carrick (6). Commitment questions linger. The door is not closed, but nobody at the club is rolling out the red carpet.
Fan-reaktioner
The mood is a strange mix of pre-season optimism and familiar frustration. The 5–0 friendly win over Rosenborg has fans buzzing about Martínez being back, but the de Ligt news has landed hard. Plenty of supporters are asking whether the club can really go into the season with just one fit senior centre-back. Join the discussion on r/reddevils.
