Harry Maguire 'to return to action before end of the month'

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire will reportedly be available for selection before the end of the month.

The 29-year-old has not been in action for his club since suffering a hamstring injury while representing England during the September international break.

Maguire has been absent for the Premier League games with Manchester City and Everton, in addition to the Europa League fixtures with Omonia.

The centre-back has only made five appearances for Man United this season, having lost his spot in the starting XI due to the form of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United, Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag said that Maguire was close to returning to action.

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"Harry Maguire will not make this, but it doesn't take long, I think. [Will Harry be another couple of weeks?] No, no, no. I think that next week he will be back in the team training or over the next week," Ten Hag told reporters.

According to the Daily Mail, Maguire has recently been running again in training and is set to be available for Man United over the next week.

The defender will again miss out against Newcastle this weekend and Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, but he could be back in the squad against Chelsea next Saturday.

Maguire is currently behind Varane and Martinez in the pecking order, though, meaning that his next appearance might not come until the Europa League clash with Sheriff Tiraspol on October 27.

Man United will play another five times after the Sheriff fixture, facing West Ham United, Real Sociedad, Aston Villa twice and Fulham before the season breaks for the World Cup.

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Maguire is expected to be in the England squad for the tournament in Qatar despite his struggles, with the centre-back a favourite of Three Lions head coach Gareth Southgate.

England will begin their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21, but the country currently have a number of defensive concerns, with Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James all injured, while John Stones has also had his fitness problems this term.

Maguire played the full 90 minutes in both of Man United's first two Premier League matches of the campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.

The former Sheffield United youngster has only featured on one occasion in the league since, though, playing the final 10 minutes of the team's 3-1 victory over Arsenal on September 4.