Ruben Amorim has provided a key injury update on Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Athletic Bilbao.
Both United players have been pictured back in training before the Europa League semi-final first leg showdown at the San Mames Stadium.
Amad was struck down by a serious ankle injury in February and the forward has missed United’s last 21 matches in all competitions.
United defender De Ligt, meanwhile, has been absent for the last six games after rolling his ankle in the 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Amorim, United’s head coach, was quizzed about Amad and De Ligt in his Europa League pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
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Asked if the duo were fit to start, Amorim said: ‘To start, no, but they can be in the squad for the game.
‘The rest of the players, we have the game tomorrow and we train here on Friday.
‘We need to prepare for the next game against Brentford [on Sunday]. We have brought young kids to prepare for the next game.’
Ruben Amorim hails ‘special’ Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams
Amorim has also opened up about the threat of Athletic Bilbao ahead of their Europa League semi-final first leg meeting.
‘They are strong, intense and really aggressive in every duel,’ Amorim added. ‘They have great players one-vs-one.
‘Nico Williams is a special player. They have the best defence in Spain in the league. We are not scoring many goals, so it is going to be a tough match for us.
‘They use the crowd to take the game to a different level. We are going to face a very, very strong team.’
Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund is ‘working really hard’
United striker Rasmus Hojlund, who has largely struggled this season, scored last time out in a 1-1 draw at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
Amorim has once again defended the Dane – who has faced widespread criticism this term – before United take on Athletic Bilbao this week.
‘He is working really hard,’ Amorim told reporters. ‘Some of the goals that we scored, especially in this competition, he has been really important with his movement.
‘I think he is in a good moment and a good spirit to do a great game tomorrow.
‘Our focus is to help the players that we have. Rasmus [Hojlund] scored one goal in the last game. You can see Rasmus has the talent.
‘Joshua [Zirkzee] has the talent. Chido [Obi] has the talent. We have to improve the players, but to improve the players individually we have to improve the way we perform, the way we play.
‘We are far from being a really consistent team that can help the strikers score goals. We have a lack of goals and that has cost us a lot of points.’