MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS Louis van Gaal has revealed Daley Blind will “not be out for six months” with a knee injury sustained during Netherlands’ clash with Latvia.
The midfielder was stretchered from the field as the Oranje ran out 6-0 winners on Saturday, and there were fears he could miss the rest of the campaign.
However, further tests carried out by United’s medical staff have reassured Van Gaal his summer signing will return sooner than expected.
“[Blind] is not ready, he has a brace on his knee,” he added. “It’ll be 10 days’ rest, then we’ll have another scan and say more about his injury.
“It’s not as bad as the doctors thought after the match, but it shall be a long story, I believe, but not six months or something like that.”
The news is a relief for the United boss, who has already lost a host of first team players to injury, though Angel Di Maria and David de Gea will both be fit to face Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Argentina star limped off in his nation’s friendly against Portugal, while the goalkeeper dislocated a finger while on international duty with Spain. “We have to wait for tomorrow’s training session to decide if [some players] are back,” he told reporters.
“My philosophy is that you have to train at least one week with the squad, better two. But if you see our circumstances, we maybe have to bring players back to the squad.
He added: “De Gea is good, no problem.”
First published on Thursday at 19.56
