BRUGGE, Belgium -- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has cast doubt on Marcus Rashford's hopes of playing for Manchester United again this season, and even suggested he could miss this summer's European Championships.
Rashford has already missed a month after suffering a double stress fracture in his back and Solskjaer said the striker, who has scored 19 goals this season, will spend more time on the sidelines because his recovery is taking longer than expected.
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"I would hope he's playing this season but it will be touch and go towards the end," Solskjaer told a news conference ahead of the Europa League tie with Club Brugge. "It takes time.
"I'm not a doctor, but I was hoping he would recover quicker than it actually looks like. He's going be out for another few months, definitely.
"He had a scan and it was maybe more severe, that fracture, than what we hoped for and expected."
Solskjaer also raised doubts about whether Rashford will be fit in time to feature at this summer's European Championships. England kick off their campaign against Croatia at Wembley on June 14.
"I would hope he plays before then but if he's not fit enough he won't go," the Norwegian added.
Scott McTominay and Axel Tuanzebe both trained at Carrington on Wednesday morning but did not make the trip to Belgium. Paul Pogba is still absent while he continues his recovery from an ankle injury in Dubai.
"He [Pogba] has not been part of team training yet and it will depend on how he feels when he's ready to do that," Solskjaer said. "He's not anywhere near that yet."
United will aim to put one foot in the next round of the Europa League with victory over Club Brugge on Thursday. The hosts are nine points clear at the top of Belgian top flight having not lost for more than two months.
They also claimed a creditable 2-2 with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in October. New signing Odion Ighalo has travelled after making his debut as a substitute in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on Monday and could start for his new club for the first time.
"I'm not going to tell you the team today but we're going to have to rotate with all the games coming up," Solskjaer said. "He's one that could start, we've not made a decision yet."