Manchester United must do without Paul Pogba for Sunday’s trip to AFC Bournemouth, with Fantasy Premier League managers forced to revisit their opening-weekend squads.
The 23-year-old midfielder will miss the season opener through a suspension carried over from when he was with Juventus.
Pogba received two yellow cards in last season’s Coppa Italia, which resulted in a ban which has been transferred.
The new signing will return to contention for United’s Old Trafford meeting with Southampton on Friday 19 August, in time for Gameweek 2.
"By Tuesday he will be ready to play against Southampton," Jose Mourinho confirmed this afternoon.
In the meantime, the 16% of Fantasy Premier League managers who were quick to acquire his services have a decision to make.
There is the option to leave the £8.5m midfielder among their substitutes for Gameweek 1, although that would be a considerable amount of funds sitting on the bench.
It is more likely we will see Pogba’s popularity decline dramatically, as his owners ship him out and seek a midfield replacement.
There is an array of candidates in his price bracket, with Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and the Tottenham Hotspur pair of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli notable options available for an identical cost.
All three look likely starters, although the trio face tricky away trips, at Arsenal and Everton respectively.
Freeing up another £1.0m would enable Pogba’s owners to consider Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez or West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet.
United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£9.5m) is another option, with Pogba’s absence perhaps increasing his team-mate's chance of earning a Premier League debut on the south coast in GW1.
