Encouraging fitness updates have emerged for the Manchester United trio of Joshua Zirkzee, André Onana and Lisandro Martínez during a widely encouraging pre-season tour of the U.S.
Ruben Amorim has been unable to call upon any of these players this summer while they recover from various injury complaints. Although, the latest reports suggest a return could be imminent.
Zirkzee picked up what he described as “a small injury” at the start of pre-season and was confident that “it shouldn’t take too long to recover now” when speaking with assembled media this week.
“I’ve got great physios working with me every day,” he added. “It’s not a serious problem. It’s pre-season so unlike last season where I wanted to push myself to be back for the final, obviously now I just want to be there for the start of the season.”
It has now emerged that Onana could follow a similar recovery trajectory. The much-maligned goalkeeper had been initially ruled out of the first month of the 2025–26 Premier League season. Yet, the Manchester Evening News now claim that Onana could be fit as soon as the friendly against Fiorentina at Old Trafford on Aug. 9.
Martínez isn’t quite as far along as his teammates. Sidelined since rupturing his ACL against Crystal Palace in February, the Argentine was thought to face a race against time to feature again this calendar year. However, Martínez is back working with the ball and running on grass as he tentatively builds his way back to team training.
The 27-year-old’s work ethic has been an example for Zirkzee during his own recovery. “Someone who has motivated me a lot is Lisandro Martínez who has been out for quite some time,” the Dutch striker recently revealed. “To see how mentally he keeps himself ready and the way he works to be back in the best way he can is something I’m thankful for.
“It’s part of life and I am thankful to have teammates around me to help me with those types of obstacles.”
United lumbered into the off-season with a dark cloud hanging overhead. With a bleak Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur still fresh, Amorim’s side were reeling from the club’s worst-ever Premier League campaign. The lack of European football threatened to derail an entirely necessary rebuild while several players which Amorim already had at his disposal were being ushered into the treatment room.
The Portuguese boss, however, struck a defiant tone. “Six months ago, in my first three games in charge with two victories and one draw, I said to you, the storm is coming. Today, after this disaster season, I want to tell you, the good days are coming,” he told an expectant Old Trafford crowd in May.
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have since arrived as two injections of Premier League-proven quality to United’s attack, while the existing squad have been much improved during an unbeaten pre-season tour of the U.S.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Shouldn’t Take Too Long’—Man Utd Boosted by Positive Update for Injured Trio.