(Football news) Lindelof was forced off in the 26th minute of the clash in Group 1 of League C, and he looked in severe discomfort when he left the field, suggesting that he had suffered a potentially long-term issue.

Sweden have now confirmed that the centre-back has withdrawn from the squad ahead of Sweden’s clash against Azerbaijan on Sunday night, and he will head back to Manchester United to be assessed by their medical staff.

Due to the nature of the issue, it is highly unlikely that Lindelof will be available for Manchester United’s Premier League clash against Ipswich Town next weekend, which will mark Ruben Amorim’s first game at helm.

The 30-year-old has played seven times for Manchester United this season, but just four of those appearances have come in the Premier League, totalling just 58 minutes of league football during the 2024-25 campaign.

Lindelof pulls out of Sweden squad with a groin problem

Lindelof was absent in the early stages of the campaign with a toe problem, but he has been involved in four of Manchester United’s last five Premier League matches off the bench.

There is huge uncertainty when it comes to his future at Old Trafford, with his contract due to expire next June, and a fresh deal with the 20-time English champions is believed to be highly unlikely at this stage.

AC Milan have been linked with a move for Lindelof, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is an advisor for the Italian giants, recently discussed a potential move for the experienced defender.

“You never know. There are a lot of rumours being spread,” Ibrahimovic said when asked directly about a potential move for Lindelof to San Siro on a free transfer.

“That rumour is more because I’m Swedish and Lindelof is Swedish. He is a fantastic player. I think he is doing well at Manchester United [but] we have many good players in that position. I don’t know what he wants. You can probably ask him.”

What has Lindelof said about his future?

Lindelof, speaking while on international duty with Sweden, insisted that he is not currently thinking about his future and was instead focusing on securing a regular run of games for the Red Devils.

“This is not something I think about,” Lindelof told Fotbolldirekt. “My focus has been to come back from the injury and play football again. But of course, there will be writings now about what will happen when I am in my last year.

“My goal is always to help the team. Now I have come back and made 90 minutes at Manchester United, which has been very nice. It’s a different situation for me now.”

Lindelof is down the pecking order at Manchester United when it comes to the centre-back spots, though, and that is unlikely to change under new head coach Amorim, who played alongside the defender at Benfica.

The Swede made the move to Old Trafford from Benfica in the summer of 2017, and he has represented the Red Devils on 266 occasions in all competitions, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup in the process.

Also read: Manchester United receive transfer boost in their pursuit of Swedish player