Manchester United have confirmed that Edinson Cavani will not be able to make his debut against Newcastle United on Saturday because of COVID-19 guidelines.
Cavani completed his free transfer to Old Trafford on deadline day after leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his contract last summer.
However, the 33-year-old has not been part of an elite sport 'bubble' so the veteran is not exempt from the two-week quarantine that arrivals from France must adhere to.
Anthony Martial will also miss the trip to St James' Park after being sent off against Spurs earlier this month, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will still be able to call upon Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood up front.
"Cavani is being forced to self-isolate due to the COVID-19 guidelines, following his arrival into the country from France, which means he is unable to make his debut at St James' Park," the club confirmed on their website.
"The Uruguay international will be free to play against his former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, though, if deemed fit and ready for action."
Amid the possibility of a Saudi-backed takeover, ChronicleLive previously revealed that Cavani's camp were actively talking up links with Newcastle back in May.
With not a whole lot happening elsewhere in the football world at the time, as leagues attempted to restart and clubs counted the financial cost of the pandemic, Newcastle were, tellingly, one of the few sides who were linked with a host of big-name players, including Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
