Manchester United are not planning on recalling Tahith Chong from his loan spell with Birmingham City.
The Dutch midfielder joined the Blues on a season-long arrangement back in the summer.
He initially impressed with a string of eye-catching performances but he has not featured since October after suffering a thigh injury that later required surgery.
There were fears from Birmingham that United may have ended the deal prematurely but that will not be the case. He has returned to Old Trafford for his recovery but he will remain with the Blues until the end of the season.
Recently, City manager Lee Bowyer said he was hopeful of his return sooner rather than later.
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Speaking about Chong's recovery, he said: “It’s still going to be a little while.
“When we do finally get him back, he’s still got to train with us for two weeks before we can start introducing him to games. He’s still a little way off yet.”
Bowyer also spoke earlier this season about the boost his side would receive from Chong's return to action.
"That would be a nice thing to happen for us," he said. "Then we’ll have Chongy for the last five, seven, ten games - whatever it might be.
"Those final games could be important. Look at last year.
“I wouldn’t want to say that he’s done. I would love to see him come back and play for us again, and I think the fans would too.”
Chong is out of contract in June but United have the option of an additional year. He was signed from Feyenoord's academy in 2016 and he has played 16 times for the first-team.
His last appearance for the Red Devils was in August 2020, in a Europa League win over LASK Linz.
Chong's United colleague Teden Mengi also arrived at Birmingham on a loan arrangement last month.
Mengi, who has previous experience in the division with Derby County, has started the last five league games since arriving.
And he says he was straight on the phone to his United pal, once interest from Birmingham emerged.
He said: "It was important for me to try and find what was best for me, which is here at Blues and to just kick on and get as many games under my belt and improve as much as I can as player and as a person.
“As soon as I heard about Blues I was straight on the phone to Chongy. He told me it is great, the lads are great and that I am going to enjoy it, everyone is a nice person, so I am just looking forward to it.
“I just want to do as best as I can and then what comes will come, I am just focusing on the short term at the moment, doing my best here and then what the future holds, the future holds.”
