Just in: Man United poised to welcome £80m star back in December

Manchester United are set to receive a major boost before the turn of the year.

According to renowned journalist Samuel Luckhurst, United are aiming for Harry Maguire to return in December.

The 32-year-old last featured in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur and has been nursing a hamstring setback since then.

Maguire has played eight times in the Premier League this campaign but half of those appearances came as a substitute.

The Red Devils famously smashed the world-record £80 million fee to prise him away from Leicester City back in 2019.

The club have resisted any temptation to rush him back, mindful of his recent injury history.

There is also a clear strategic element at play, with United keen to reintegrate Maguire during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) window.

The looming departures of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui threaten to stretch the squad thin.

With AFCON running until mid-January, the trio could be unavailable for as many as seven matches.

Manager Ruben Amorim deployed a back three of Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw, with Matthijs de Ligt also missing through a back issue.

While Yoro and Heaven boast immense potential, fielding two inexperienced defenders together invited pressure and ultimately forced errors.

Amorim is expected to provide an update on the duo in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Maguire’s return would significantly steady the back line, especially with Lisandro Martinez also edging closer to his first league start of the season.

The United head coach is likely to ease Maguire back gently, potentially limiting him to substitute appearances initially.

United face an immediate test with a daunting trip to Villa Park to take on a high-flying Aston Villa side this weekend.

The year will then conclude with back-to-back home fixtures against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers after Christmas.

Stats from Fotmob.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .