Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot has withdrawn from national team duty with Portugal due to muscle discomfort, Afrosport reports.
The 26-year-old was named in Roberto Martinez’s 23-man squad for this month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary.
However, the Portuguese Football Federation confirmed his withdrawal on Thursday, with Lazio full-back Nuno Tavares called up as his replacement. The former Arsenal defender will travel to Armenia’s capital city, Yerevan, from Rome.
Dalot has started three of United’s four games this season, including two in the Premier League. He started their 1-0 opening defeat to Arsenal and played the full 90 minutes in their shocking League Cup defeat to Grimsby Town.
He also started their league game against Burnley last Saturday and created the second goal in their 3-2 win over the Clarets at Old Trafford, with his cut-back finding an unmarked Bryan Mbeumo in the box.
Ruben Amorim will now be sweating over the fitness of one of his most trusted stalwarts, with United set to take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 14 September.
Meanwhile, Dalot will absent from Portugal’s opening qualifying fixture against Armenia on Saturday. The reigning Nations League winners will then take on Hungary at the Puska Arena in Budapest on Tuesday.
