Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher is yet to begin his comeback from a chronic bowel complaint.
Fletcher, 28, has been absent since December 2011 when it was announced that he would be spending time on the sidelines due to the condition, which had been affecting him since the previous season.
Ferguson, though, insisted that the club will give the midfielder "all the time he needs" to recover from his medical problems.
"He has not started training with us,'' confirmed the United boss. "He has obviously got great challenges ahead. We are happy to be patient but he won't be starting the season.
"It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad. If it doesn't work for him, he knows he has a position at the club anyway.''
