Fletcher Eyes Return Next Term

Darren Fletcher hopes to be back playing football next season as the Manchester United midfielder tries to find a way to manage a chronic bowel condition.

United confirmed in December that the Scotland captain would be taking an indefinite break from football before Sir Alex Ferguson subsequently ruled Fletcher out of his plans for the rest of the season.

Fletcher is exploring a variety of different options which will enable him to resume his career at the highest level, but confirmed he will not return before next term.

"It's a week-by-week situation so I've not got any timescale on recovery, but the target for me is next season now," Fletcher told the Manchester Evening News.

"If I can come back then, that would be great for me.

"It's something that will never leave me but somehow you have to find a way to manage it so that I can still play my football.

"I'm trying everything under the sun at the moment: diet, hypnotherapy."

Fletcher first started to experience problems last March and his absence for all but two games of the final three months of last season was put down to a virus.

However, after appearing in 10 United games this term, Fletcher felt he needed to take an extended break and revealed the true nature of his condition.