Louis van Gaal admits he may have to seek reinforcements for the Manchester United backline this month with both Luke Shaw and now Ashley Young out for the foreseeable future.
Luke Shaw suffered a nasty leg break during United's Champions League clash with PSV last year and is continuing rehabilitation to return in 2016.
Ashley Young is the latest to warm a treatment table at Old Trafford, with reports indicating the former Aston Villa winger has suffered a 'severe' groin injury.
Already without Marcos Rojo, Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia, Van Gaal told reporters at his press conference on Friday afternoon that he would have to go into the market to bring in replacements.
“When you see our back luck with full-backs — Valencia, Shaw, Rojo, Darmian, Young — Darmian is now fit but the others are all injured. I need full-backs,” said Van Gaal.
"I have used youngsters a lot of times and they are doing great but the level of Man United is high and to give a high performance every week is very difficult for the youngsters.
"That's why we have to look especially in the transfer period for replacements, but the difficulty is we ask for a level, so we are looking but it is not easy."
Luke Shaw receive oxygen after his injury in September. Image: Peter Dejong / AP/Press Association Images.
Van Gaal is also expected to be without Phil Jones and Bastian Schweinsteiger for this weekend's visit of Southampton.
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