Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is concerned his team are “not ready” for today’s Premier League opener against Fulham.
New signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will be in the squad but only arrived yesterday.
They have had a limited chance to train with their new teammates, leaving Ten Hag with a selection dilemma for the match at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, defender Luke Shaw has been sidelined with a calf injury, new £52m defender Leny Yoro was ruled out for three months at the beginning of August, and forward Rasmus Hojlund has a hamstring problem. United committed to spending close to £60m by bringing defenders De Ligt and Mazraoui to the club from Bayern Munich.
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“The team is not ready but the league starts,” said Ten Hag.
“We can’t hide from it. We have to deal with it.”
United’s other summer signing, Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkee, was an unused substitute during the Community Shield defeat by Manchester City and could make his debut against Fulham.
Ten Hag has to solve a selection problem at left-back, with Shaw not fit because of a calf injury and Tyrell Malacia ruled out for another two months as he continues to recover from knee surgery.
Shaw has not featured for United since February, chiefly because of a hamstring injury, although he was eventually fit enough to play for England at Euro 2024.
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