Lenny Yoro has reportedly said that he will be back available for Manchester United in time for their clash against Arsenal at the beginning of December.
The centre-back was coveted by a number of clubs in the summer, including both Real Madrid and Liverpool, but United managed to fend off interest from rivals and land the 18-year-old Frenchman.
Yoro was one of two centre-backs brought in during the summer, with the Red Devils reuniting boss Erik ten Hag and former Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt.
However, De Ligt has been criticised for his performances so far at United, while Yoro suffered a fractured metatarsal against Arsenal in pre-season in late July, and is yet to make his competitive debut for the club.
The Manchester Evening News claim via GiveMeSport that the centre-back has told friends he plans to achieve full fitness in time for his side's clash against Arsenal on December 4.
Man United defensive crisis
Man United's eighth-placed finish last term was their worst ever placement in the Premier League, but Ten Hag argued on numerous occasions that his team were severely affected by injury crises throughout the campaign.
This season has proved to be just as problematic in terms of injuries, highlighted by the fact that United could be without 10 players for their match against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.
Yoro is just one of several defensive absentees, with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Noussair Mazraoui and Tyrell Malacia all out with various injuries.
To make matters worse, centre-backs De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez have performed poorly at club level in recent weeks, with both left out against Aston Villa earlier in October in favour of Jonny Evans and Maguire against Aston Villa.
To United's credit, their four clean sheets in the Premier League this season is the second most in the division, but they have looked far from convincing from a defensive perspective against the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Yoro to save Ten Hag?
The Red Devils are currently 14th in the league with just eight points after seven matchweeks, and speculation regarding the future of Ten Hag has been rife.
While Yoro's return is still some way off, he has been pictured running on a treadmill and his potential comeback from injury has given fans course optimism.
The 18-year-old defender impressed during his time with Lille and demonstrated immense talent both on the ball and as a commanding presence in the backline.
Having said that, it would be asking a lot of the youngster to come straight into the starting lineup and help shore up United's defence, especially given the inconsistent performances of the team's other centre-backs.
Perhaps slowly integrating the Frenchman into the team would be the best strategy possible, but with Ten Hag under significant pressure, Yoro may be thrown into the XI. body check tags ::
