Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed that summer signing Diogo Dalot won’t be fit for the new Premier League season as he has yet to completely recover following a knee surgery.
The 19-year-old become United’s second capture of the transfer window last month after he arrived for a reported fee of £17.4m but he has since been training individually after a minor operation to his knee.
Speaking in a press conference, Mourinho confirmed that United were aware of Dalot’s injury situation and the versatile full-back won’t be able to make an appearance until the start of September at the least.
“Dalot is injured; we knew that but we didn’t want to lose him because of that. He is recovering really well. We think he can start training with the team when we go back to England. He will not be ready for the start of the season but we think he’ll be ready for September,” he said.
Dalot has been an unknown figure to most of the United faithful after making just eight senior appearances and an injury is now certain to delay his chances of making an impression among the supporters.
Nevertheless, Mourinho has shown immense faith in the youngster after having plucked him from Porto ahead of several European rivals and the Portuguese tactician may have witnessed something special in the teenager.
Dalot, who is comfortable playing in both the right-back and left-back positions, could possibly make his first-team debut during the away Premier League game at Watford on September 15.
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