Erik ten Hag has admitted that Manchester United’s long wait for Luke Shaw to return from injury could extend through the October international break.
Left-back Shaw has not played for his club since being substituted at half-time in successive Premier League matches against Aston Villa and Luton back in February, having been sidelined for months with a hamstring problem.
Former England boss Gareth Southgate still included the 29-year-old in his final squad for Euro 2024, with his fitness becoming a key storyline amid the Three Lions’ run to the final in Germany, where, having missed the first four games, he made substitute appearances in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals before starting the defeat by Spain.
Shaw later returned for pre-season training at United, but then suffered a calf injury. The club said at the time that he was working to be back after the first international break of the campaign in September.
Shaw has missed all of United’s seven games so far this term, with Diogo Dalot - primarily a right-back - filling in on the left side of defence with new signing from Bayern Munich Noussair Mazraoui on the right.
Shaw’s previous understudy, Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia, has not played for United since the final day of the 2022/23 season but is bidding to return from his injury nightmare soon.
Addressing the media ahead of United’s opening game in the new-look Europa League against his former club FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, Ten Hag expressed hope that Shaw would still return during this block of games as planned but admitted that he could remain sidelined through next month’s second international break.
"I think it's probably (before the break) but I can't say I'm 100 per cent sure," Ten Hag said.
"The plan is just to be back before but as I say I can't say this 100 per cent for sure. It can also be shortly after the break."
Along with Shaw and Malacia, United remain without summer signing Leny Yoro and fellow centre-back Victor Lindelof against Twente.
However, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund both returned to Ten Hag’s matchday squad for the goalless Premier League draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday, with the latter playing 15 minutes off the bench at Selhurst Park.
