Matthijs de Ligt has posted a fitness update on Instagram showing him back in the gym, as theManchester Unitedcentre-back continues his recovery from the back surgery he underwent in May – with the club confirming he is expected to return to team training in the opening stages of the 2026/27 season
De Ligt shared a video of himself working out, alongside holiday pictures from Ibiza with family and friends, captioning the post with the phrase recovering and enjoying. It is a small but tangible sign that his post-surgery rehabilitation is progressing in the right direction
Matthijs de Ligt during a match for Manchester United
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De Ligt is set to miss pre-season, with United expecting him to return to team training in the opening stages of the new campaign
A Season Curtailed at the Worst Possible Time
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De Ligt had been arguably in his best form since joining United from Bayern Munich before the injury intervened. He had played every single minute of the 2025/26 Premier League season up to that point, earning the club’s Player of the Month award for November, when he last featured – against Crystal Palace on 30 November
Then-manager Ruben Amorim had initially suggested the absence would be brief, but the back problem proved far more resistant than first indicated. De Ligt returned to individual training in late April, still hoping to avoid surgery and stake a claim for a Netherlands World Cup place. When it became clear neither outcome was realistic, he agreed to go under the knife
Ruben Amorim during his tenure as manager of Sporting CP
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De Ligt’s expected return to team training in the opening stages of 2026/27 is an encouraging development, and his availability will be significant given the form he had shown before the injury struck
What Comes Next
The gym footage and the social media update are encouraging rather than definitive. United expect him to be integrated into team training in the opening stages of the 2026/27 campaign, though he will not be part of pre-season preparations
Perhaps the most encouraging sign is that De Ligt remains in good spirits and is continuing to put in the hard yards to get back to action. His return will be one to watch as United head into a new season
