De Ligt out 3 months after undergoing shoulder surgery
Juventus center-back Matthijs de Ligt is expected to miss the next three months after undergoing successful surgery on his right shoulder, the club announced Wednesday.
De Ligt dislocated his shoulder in November during a match against Atalanta. The Bianconeri agreed to wait until the end of the season to operate on the 21-year-old.
Juventus' elimination from the Champions League last week allowed De Ligt to go under the knife.
Despite the injury, the Dutchman still managed to make 36 starts across all competitions in his first season with the Old Lady. De Ligt largely filled in for Giorgio Chiellini, who was out several months with a knee injury.
Juventus should have cover in defense. Merih Demiral, who tore his ACL in January, returned to training in July and appeared as a substitute in the 3-1 loss to Roma on Aug. 1. Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, and Daniele Rugani are also available.
The 2020-21 Serie A season begins Sept. 19.