Manchester United are set to hand Youri Tielemans his debut during Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg.
The midfielder’s summer holiday was delayed by Belgium’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals, but he is now available to new manager Michael Carrick.
The same 21-day mandated break means England’s Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez remain unavailable for United, while Benjamin Sesko is still nursing the same shin injury which prematurely ended his involvement last season.
There is also no Senne Lammens or Matheus Cunha, the latter of whom returned to training this week following his own World Cup exertions with Brazil.
United confirmed the pair were recovering from minor non-related illnesses and would join up with the squad at their training camp in the Republic of Ireland next week, which features a historic showdown with old rivals Leeds at Dublin’s Croke Park on Wednesday night.
Carrick announced his 22-man travelling squad for the clash with PSG on Friday, with captain Bruno Fernandes back and headlining a group which also now includes defenders Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui.
Bryan Mbeumo should get the nod to lead the line once more after scoring twice in United’s 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm last weekend, though 15-year-old JJ Gabriel has dropped out alongside fellow youngster Jim Thwaites despite both players making their senior debuts in the same game.
Altay Bayindir will not be involved either after the back-up goalkeeper finalised his loan move to Celta Vigo on Friday, with United remaining short on options between the posts with Lammens out and new signing Karl Darlow still unavailable after undergoing minor surgery while at Leeds during the latter stages of last season.
Radek Vitek is moving to Middlesbrough on a permanent transfer worth up to £14million, meaning Dermot Mee and teenager Fred Heath are the back-ups to 40-year-old Tom Heaton.
Midfielder Manuel Ugarte faces months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery in July on a serious knee injury suffered at the World Cup with Uruguay, while Matthijs de Ligt is not yet ready to return from a long-term back issue.
Predicted Manchester United XI: Heaton; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Tielemans, Mount; Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo
Injured: Sesko, De Ligt, Darlow, Ugarte
Ill: Cunha, Lammens
Unavailable: Mainoo, Rashford, Martinez
Time and date: 4pm BST on Saturday August 8, 2026
Venue: Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden
How to watch: MUTV
