De Ligt to Miss World Cup After Successful Back Surgery

Matthijs de Ligt will be absent from the Netherlands' World Cup campaign after undergoing successful back surgery to address an injury sustained in November. Manchester United confirmed that he will not return until the early stages of the next season.

De Ligt had made a positive start to the season, playing every minute in Manchester United's first 13 Premier League games before the injury halted his progress. He expressed determination to return to the pitch, stating he has pushed himself in every rehabilitation session and explored every option to recover.

De Ligt, a former player for Juventus and Bayern Munich, thanked everyone for their support during this challenging period in his career and remains committed to representing Manchester United as soon as possible.