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Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has revealed that Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Šeško have both returned to training, though neither will be available for the opening fixture of the Premier League campaign.
De Ligt's return to the training pitch is especially encouraging news. The central defender sustained a back problem in December that was initially considered minor, but it ended up ruling him out for the entire second half of the season and caused him to miss the World Cup.
Šeško, on the other hand, has been sidelined since picking up a shin injury in May, but Carrick was pleased to confirm that both players are steadily working their way back to full fitness.
"Matt [De Ligt] has obviously been out for quite a long time, but he's back in training and it's great to see him again," Carrick said. "He won't be involved just yet, but he's in good condition and heading in the right direction. It's a real bonus for us to have him back at this point in the season."
"Ben [Sesko] is back in training too, which is another positive. I'm looking forward to having him back with the squad and getting some minutes into him as well."
While both Šeško and De Ligt will be absent for Saturday's away fixture against Hull City, Carrick hinted that another familiar face from the treatment room could also be a doubt.
Carrick: We Must Manage Mason Mount
Few United players have experienced injury misfortune quite like midfielder Mason Mount who, since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2023, has been absent for a total of 70 matches due to no fewer than 10 separate injury problems.
Mount is in danger of adding to that tally on Saturday after his promising preseason was cut short earlier this month when he hobbled off against Paris Saint-Germain with a knock.
Although his most recent setback is not considered serious, Mount is still waiting to be given the green light to feature in Saturday's match.
"[We're] managing Mason a little bit, but he's very close, so it's touch and go for the weekend really, if not, going into next week," Carrick explained.
"First and foremost, Mason is a top player. A top player. I think we've seen that throughout preseason. He was one of our standout performers in the early games he featured in — I thought he was brilliant. So it's no surprise, it's what I've seen before and what I expect from him."
"He's picked up a minor knock. There's no cause for concern. It's been about a week or 10 days or so. Nothing major. Of course, he's missed some football in recent years and he wants to be fit, stay in rhythm, and remain available. We're doing everything we can to support him with that, but he's a top player, Mason."
"It's the same across the whole group. We need to manage the squad carefully. There will be injuries throughout the season, and we need a squad deep enough to maintain a strong starting lineup while having the cover to sustain us over the course of the campaign. Mason will be back very, very soon, if not straight away, so everything is looking positive."