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Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves in light training after hamstring injury but time is running out
Owen Hargreaves hopes to return to first-team training at Manchester United within two weeks, but the injury-ravaged midfielder is fighting a losing battle to be named in the club’s revised Champions League squad.
Sir Alex Ferguson must submit his updated 25-man squad for the knockout stages by Feb 1, but Hargreaves, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday, has failed to prove his fitness after suffering a torn hamstring five minutes into his unexpected Premier League comeback against Wolves on Nov 6.
Hargreaves had initially been expected to be sidelined by the injury for five weeks, but his progress has been slow, despite a visit to Munich-based specialist Hans-Muller Wohlfahrt last month.
Hargreaves, who has clocked up just six minutes of first-team football since September 2008 because of double knee surgery, has returned to light training at United in recent days.
But having made just 39 appearances in all competitions since his £19 million arrival from Bayern Munich in May 2007, he is unlikely to be offered a new contract to replace his deal which expires in June.
Vancouver Whitecaps, the MLS team part-owned by Hargreaves’s close friend, Steve Nash, have been linked with a move for the Canada-born midfielder when his contract expires, but their interest is understood to be little more than tentative at this stage.
Nash said: “I’m sure we’d love to have him someday but I think he can get over his injuries and if that’s the case he’s going to be in-demand across Europe.”
Ferguson has omitted the England international from United’s last two Champions League squads because of concerns over his fitness and, with one senior player likely to have to drop out to accommodate Hargreaves in the current squad, his prospects of returning to contention for European football are slim.
Meanwhile, Ferguson has ruled out a loan move for out-of-favour defender Wes Brown this month following interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
Brown, 31, has started just two league games this season and is likely to be sold in the summer, but with Rafael da Silva – whose appeal against an improper conduct charge will be heard on Friday – due to be suspended for Saturday’s clash with Birmingham, the former England full-back could be handed a rare chance to impress at right-back.
Gary Neville’s poor form and John O’Shea’s lack of match action since recovering from a calf injury have left Brown in line for his first appearance since the Carling Cup defeat at West Ham in November.
“Wes is such a good defender, but I certainly won’t be letting him go on loan,” said Ferguson.