Manchester United’s injury woes persist as new signing Leny Yoro faces the possibility of missing the first two months of the upcoming season due to a metatarsal injury.

The £52 million acquisition from Lille sustained the injury during the club’s US Tour opener, a 2-1 loss to Arsenal. Yoro appeared to suffer a non-contact ankle injury in the first half and had to be helped off the pitch by a physio. He has since been seen on crutches and wearing a protective boot at the club’s training facility at UCLA in Los Angeles.

Rasmus Højlund also had to leave the match with a hamstring injury and will be sidelined for approximately six weeks. However, the potential absence of 18-year-old Yoro is a significant setback for manager Erik ten Hag, who had intended to pair him with Lisandro Martinez in central defense. Ten Hag had been cautious with Yoro in the lead-up to the match, as the young defender had only participated in a few training sessions.

Last season, United dealt with 66 instances of injuries or illnesses affecting their players.

On a brighter note, Manchester United are looking towards the future with the acquisition of 16-year-old Chido Obi Martin from Arsenal. The prolific youth striker, who had been in discussions with United’s new coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, chose to leave the Gunners after his contract expired. Arsenal was reportedly unwilling to meet his contract demands, leading him to join United.

Obi Martin, who joined Arsenal’s academy at age 14, made headlines with his remarkable performances, including scoring 29 goals in just 17 league matches for Arsenal’s U18s last season. His standout moment came in February when he netted 10 goals in a single match for Arsenal’s U16 side against Liverpool.