Manchester United rule out injured stars for rest of the season ahead of Celta Vigo clash

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Timothy Fosu-Mensah will not play again this season.

United have been rocked by a spate of injuries in recent weeks which has left Mourinho with little alternative but to turn to the club's youth ranks to flesh out his squad on match days.

Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Juan Mata all returned for Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal to provide the manager with some much needed respite but the Portuguese coach remains without five members of his squad having confirmed those currently on the injury list have no chance of returning this term.

Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are both long-term absentees after suffering serious knee ligament injuries in the Europa League quarter-final win over Anderlecht in April. But Mourinho's latest update also rules out Shaw, Young and Fosu-Mensah from returning during the season run-in.

"Since the last injuries, we know that nobody will recover on time, even to play the last match of the season, so the ones out will be out for the season," Mourinho told a press conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg clash with Celta Vigo. "But people are ready, fresh, with a big desire to play the game.

"I am proud because we have important injuries that have reduced the possibility of rotation, of turnover, of resting players, so the players are the ones that are present all the time since we have this problem. So, yes, I'm proud, but one more match to be in a European final – we must give everything we have."

Reports this week have suggested Shaw has been forced to undergo surgery to address an ankle ligament injury suffered in the 1-1 draw against Swansea City on Sunday 30 April.

Young meanwhile was introduced off the bench in the second-half of the first leg clash against Celta but just 11 minutes later he was forced off with a hamstring injury. Three days prior to that, Fosu-Mensah joined the injury list, with Mourinho confirming the Dutchman had suffered a serious injury during his brief cameo off the bench in the goalless draw with Manchester City.

Mourinho was able to confirm however there have been no fresh injury scares since the defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. Mourinho made eight changes to the side that tasted defeat in north London with Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba, Antonio Valencia and Daley Blind among those rested and ready to return on Thursday.