Erik ten Hag offers update on when £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund will make Man Utd debut

The Red Devils have made the highly-rated Denmark international the most expensive striker that they have ever signed, with there high hopes at Old Trafford that he can be the man to provide a solution to long-running No.9 issues.

Hojlund is - at just 20 years of age - eager to get going, but arrived in England nursing a back problem. Ten Hag has said when quizzed on when the youngster will be ready for selection: “Today, for the first time, he came into team training. Next week we expect him to do a full week with all the team trainings. So he's very near to making the squad.”

United are also without Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Tom Heaton, Tyrell Malacia and Kobbie Mainoo at present, as they nurse a variety of knocks, with Ten Hag adding when asked for a more general fitness update: “We can't [disclose their injuries], it's personal these days, they will be for some period absent. Luke will be longer than Mason. Malacia will also take a few weeks before he will be back.”

United, who have stumbled out of the blocks in 2023-24 to take three points from uninspiring performances against Wolves and Tottenham, will be back in Premier League action on Saturday when playing host to Nottingham Forest.