Manchester United have been gifted a huge injury boost with Erik ten Hag seemingly close to having a “monster” back to full fitness and available for selection.

Man Utd injuries

The Red Devils have had multiple injury issues so far this season and once again had a number of players absent in the week for a Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen. Harry Maguire was the match winner and Andre Onana the late hero after saving an injury-time penalty at Old Trafford, with attention now on Sunday’s derby with rivals Manchester City in the Premier League.

Man United injuries – players who missed FC Copenhagen

Lisandro Martinez

Foot issue

Tyrell Malacia

Muscle injury

Luke Shaw

Muscle injury

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Hamstring problem

Amad Diallo

Knee injury

Ten Hag may not have a fully fit squad to choose from for the visit of Pep Guardiola’s side, however, it looks as if one player is closing in on a return.

Chief football reporter for The Daily Mail, Sami Mokbel, provided an Aaron Wan-Bissaka injury update in the last 48 hours. He said that the full-back has taken a major step towards full fitness at Carrington after returning to training on the grass. He described it as a huge injury boost for the Red Devils, with the player possibly being available to return to first-team action within the next 10 days, should the final stages of his rehabilitation go to plan.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka Man Utd future

Wan-Bissaka has had an eventful 18 months under Ten Hag, and at one point, it was believed that the manager was ready to allow the player to leave the club. However, he has now won the Dutchman around, with reports on Wan-Bissaka’s Man Utd future earlier this month claiming that the defender is seen as integral to Ten Hag’s plans and that contract talks are underway.

Speaking at the end of last season, Ten Hag hailed Wan-Bissaka, saying:

“He has improved a lot, as many players have improved during the season. That's one of the jobs for a manager and the coaching staff, to get that done and we are really happy with it, that players are developing.

“Always the team spirit is the base and if players understand that, if they can set their egos aside, then you will see that the team develops and progresses. And then within the team's progress, individuals make a lot of progress and Aaron is definitely one of them.”

The Englishman, previously labelled as a defensive “monster” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, began the current campaign as first choice but has been absent with his hamstring issue since September, missing eight games. (Aaron Wan-Bissaka stats – Transfermarkt)

Therefore, knowing he is closing in on a Man Utd return is a boost as Mokbel mentions, and it’ll be interesting to see if he comes back in as first choice straightaway over the coming weeks.