Manchester United's Dan Gore has still not returned to training after suffering a freak shoulder injury.

The young midfielder was hoping to further stake his case under Erik ten Hag having been one of several youth prospects who were included in last summer's pre-season tour. He missed out this year though after dislocating his shoulder during a personal training session

Gore required surgery at the beginning of June and is yet to return to training at Carrington as he continues his recovery from the freak injury with his pre-season being disrupted as a result. A loan move was touted as an option but his lack of fitness may cost him.

The window will soon close and a switch in January now looks more likely, reports the MEN. United need to decide on how they will handle the player's long-term development after Gore spent the last six months of last season on loan with Port Vale, before disaster struck after just one appearance when he sustained his injury.

The teenager has more than proved he's willing to put himself about and mix it with established stars in order to further his own career. Back in Ten Hag's first season he was involved in a brief training ground bust up with Anthony Martial after Frenchman took issue with his aggressiveness.

They were forced to temporarily halt a training session for non-World Cup players at Carrington which also featured a number of youth-team stars were also drafted in. Gore clattered Martial with a robust tackle, which sparked an angry confrontation between the pair.

Martial is alleged to have lashed out and caught the teenager, who is said to have stood his ground against the former first-team star. They had to be pulled apart, with Gore told by Ten Hag and his staff that tackling first-team stars was off-limits in training games.

Dan Gore has often been called up to first-team training (
Image:
Getty Images)

Ten Hag handed Gore his debut on his 19th birthday as he came off the bench during a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace. The United was keen to shut down suggestions the debut was in any way a ‘gift’ for the teenager - insisting he deserved his shot.

He said: “It’s a good birthday for him, but I’m not a coach who gives opportunities to players [for no reason], they have to earn it. Once they earn it, they have their chance. They have to earn it every day in training. I don’t hand opportunities to young players. They must consistently prove their worth in training because if they don’t, it can affect the team."

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