Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is nursing a back injury which could drastically limit his playing time at the start of the season, according to the Daily Mail.
The issue is more serious than the Red Devils disclosed, with an MRI scan revealing he sustained a stress response hotspot in his back.
It can be responsible for the start of stress fractures in young players, and it may take a while before Hojlund returns to full fitness.
The £72 million signing sustained the injury during a pre-season training at Atalanta, and while Man United revealed that, they did not go into any detail about its nature.
According to the Daily Mail, the Old Trafford club discovered the back problem during the medical, which led to Hojland being sent for an MRI.
However, they insist there are no fundamental issues with Hojlund’s back after intensive investigations, claiming a period of rest will get him back on his feet.
Man United want to give the Denmark international more time to improve his fitness and are not planning to rush him back into action anytime soon.
External Medical sources told the Daily Mail Sport that the injury requires careful management, suggesting it is unlikely that the Dane will be able to play two games a week for a while as that could develop into a stress fracture.
A stress fractured would lead to a lengthy lay-off and Man United are trying to avoid that.
Players who have had a high workload at a young age often suffer stress response hotspots, and the Red Devils will hope Hojlund can totally overcome the problem and prevent a reoccurrence going forward.
Man United kick off their Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, and they may have to wait until September before seeing their new signing in action.
