Manchester United left-back Alex Telles has tested positive for coronavirus, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed.
The Brazilian international joined from Porto for £15.4m earlier this month and was absent as the Red Devils thrashed Leipzig 5-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. Mason Greenwood opened the scoring for the Red Devils before Marcus Rashford came off the bench to score a hatrick in record time.
His hat-trick saw him become only the second Manchester United player to achieve that feat from the bench via Opta.
In poetic fashion, the only other player to do so is current Manchester United boss Ole Solskjaer.
Telles would have been gutted to miss out in that fixture. Asides the drubbing of Leipzig, he was also missing in his side’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League. Many thought it was an injury knock at the time but it appears we know better after all.
Solskjaer confirmed the Brazil international had returned a positive test after Wednesday’s win but offered no further details about his return.
Ole confirms that Alex Telles has tested positive for COVID-19. We wish him a speedy recovery and a swift return to the group ❤️#MUFC pic.twitter.com/vrNAZLPScx
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 28, 2020
“Telles has tested positive for coronavirus so he’s been out for a few days,” Solskjaer said to BT Sport.
“No symptoms though, so he’ll be fine. Back soon.”
The defender becomes the second member of the United squad to have tested positive after Paul Pogba missed international duty back in September after contracting the virus.
The Frenchman was back in the starting XI for the Red Devils as Ole Solskjaer decided to rotate his midfield setup.
In the absence of Telles, Luke Shaw is expected to keep his place as first-choice left-back for United.
