A massive boost for Manchester United
Edinson Cavani will remain with Manchester United over the international break after his call-up to the Uruguay squad was cancelled.
Cavani had previously insisted on going to Uruguay to represent his country, having expressed his bemusement at the Premier League’s decision not to release players to go and play in country’s on the UK’s red list for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Cavani had posted to his Instagram story with numerous question marks over a screenshot of the Premier League’s statement on the matter.
If he had travelled to South America for Uruguay’s games against Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, he would have had to quarantine for 10 days upon his return to the UK, ruling him out of four first team matches.
In a tweet on Monday morning, the Uruguay FA confirmed his call-up had been cancelled for these reasons, saying: “The Uruguayan FA announces that, in accordance with the publicly known situation which has been made for players in England, it has decided to cancel the selection of footballer Edinson Cavani.”
📣 Comunicado de la AUF – 29/8/21 pic.twitter.com/INribPRaVM
— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) August 30, 2021
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be particularly pleased by this news, having been vocal in his criticism of the possibility that Cavani would fly out to represent his country.
“It’s an impossible situation for the clubs, it’s an impossible situation for the players. We understand that there are rules and broader issues here, that’s why we have to follow the rules,” he told reporters last week.
“If there was a choice for me, playing for Norway or playing for Man United, I know who my employer is.”
Cavani may be disappointed by this news, and things could go from bad to worse for the 34-year-old. Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to the club makes it likely that the number 7 shirt will be stripped away from Cavani and awarded to the club legend.
Cavani came off the bench, on Sunday, to help United to a 1-0 win over Wolves, at Molinueux, and leave them in third place heading into the international break.
