United loanees Chong and Mengi face weeks out through injury

Add as preferred source on Google

Birmingham City manager Lee Bowyer has delivered an injury update on his two Manchester United loanees, Tahith Chong and Teden Mengi.

Chong went off in Birmingham’s last game, the 1-0 local derby win over West Brom on Sunday and it turns out he has pulled his hamstring.

Mengi has not played since the 2-0 loss to Middlesbrough last month, which was his only appearance in Birmingham’s last eight matches.

Bowyer said that the defender has returned to United for treatment and Birmingham Mail reported he faces up to six weeks out.

As per Birmingham’s club media, Bowyer said: “Unfortunately Tahith Chong has pulled his hamstring, hopefully we will get him back for the last couple of games.

On Mengi, he added: “Teds [Mengi] is back with Man U. Since he’s done his injury he’s been back with Man U and is getting treatment there.”

It is especially frustrating for Chong as he has just battled back from groin surgery, which interrupted a loan spell which was going very well to that point.

Hopefully both players can take to the field again before the end of the season, although there is no need for Bowyer to rush either of them, with the Blues assured of Championship safety for another year.

It has recently been reported that United triggered the one-year extension in Chong’s contract.

But we wrote recently that is surely just with the intention of selling him in the summer, rather than letting him leave on a free.

He is 22 and has not played for the first team since 2020, although did play and score in pre-season.

Transfermarkt list Chong’s value at £3.6 million, which is more than the compensation fee being reported for Erik ten Hag. It is also better just letting him go for free, and United need to get smarter and better at letting their deadwood go.

Chong has shown he can be a Championship asset, and there are some clubs with some money in the second tier willing to pay decent money to get players who can fire them out of the league.

Of course, ten Hag may fancy a look at his countryman when pre-season starts, but it would be a surprise if Chong mirrored Anthony Elanga and made the jump into the first team now.