I doubt he'll make it back for long if at all.

I've got my fear that the regular training required for a footballer may ignite his condition once again. Regardless, he's fought very hard to be where he is and to put his name on the team sheet.

I use to slate him when he use to play as a right-winger back during Van Nistelrooy days, as I felt he didn't have what we needed. However, to be able to stick with him and adapt to a new position, he deserves nothing but full-marks.

Whatever you read in the media about him on the road to recovery or predictions about his future, you can totally ignore it.

Ulcerative Colitis is not something you recover from, it's incurable, unless you have your entire large bowel removed. He may be 100% fine today but tomorrow the condition may flare up again, so predicting what he'll be like at the start of next season is pointless.

Even if the medication is keeping things under control to a degree that can easily change, and noone on the planet can say he will definitely be fine for a whole season and beyond. The disease just doesn't work like that, it is very unpredictable in its nature.

There's no real reason regular exercise/training may kick off his condition again if it's currently under control, but the stress of a football season or performing certainly might.

Bottom line is he will never be guaranteed to be around throughout the season while he still has the condition. It's possible things work out ok for him, but he'll never 100% know for sure.

The best case is the meds control the flare ups most of the time, and the club lives almost day to day seeing how he's doing, but for a massive club like Manchester United it's hard to have a key player that you can't rely on to be fit long term, and there's a good chance he'll be out of action for extended periods. Also with that condition he could be on the pitch and suddenly have to leave the pitch at a moments notice, which again has implications for big matches and substitutions etc.

Totally agree with Little Pea. I suffer from this and I go weeks, sometimes months feeling completely fine and then can have a flare up that sets me right back. It also heavily dents your self confidence and willingness/ability to do anything in public.
Also, depending on the meds he is taking, his immune system could be compromised meaning he could pick up other infections and illnesses quite easily.

expect City to sign him in August then

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It can be very depressing. I honestly can't see how he will play top flight football consistently again. Which is a gshame as he has been a great servant for us.

imagine what we would have done with him and Vidic all season, we wouldnt have lost on Monday thats for sure

He didn't adapt to a new position when he was moved into the centre, that was always his preferred position. When he first broke into the team he was played on the right in order to give him game time where if he made a mistake it would be less detrimental to the team as it would be if he were in the centre.

Just like how most young defenders will play games in the full back positions before moving into the middle.

Would be a shame if a talented footballer like him had to finish his career so early.

Hope he recovers.