Facundo Pellistri received a welcome boost this week when he was named in Manchester United’s Europa League squad.
The young winger has been out of action since sustaining an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly with Atletico Madrid on July 30.
This injury scuppered his chances of a loan move, but actually could work in his favour, keeping him in with a chance of first team action.
There’s further good news reported too, with El Pais Uruguay reporting he is closing in on a return to fitness.
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Pellistri ‘in final stages of recovery’
El Pais Uruguay report Pellistri ‘faces the final stretch of his recovery, which will soon allow him to return to training with the main squad’.
He has also been called into Uruguay’s provisional 41-man squad for their friendlies against Iran and Canada later this month. A smaller squad will be named closer to the time.
Pellistri played a key role in Uruguay’s qualification for the World Cup, emerging as their surprise package, despite a poor loan spell at Alaves.
He needs to target getting fit for their friendly matches in late September, which could lead into some game time for Manchester United in a hectic October where there are 10 club fixtures.
It would be overly optimistic to expect many minutes for United before the break, he is very much on the fringes and likely to miss out on making the matchday squads most weeks.
A couple of early wins in the Europa League will make United more likely to rotate later on, working in Pellistri’s favour if he can stay fit and impress Erik ten Hag.
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