England captain David Beckham's broken hand will be in plaster for between six and eight weeks, his club Manchester United said on Friday.

It means Beckham should be fit in time to take part in United's high-profile pre-season tour of the United States, which starts on July 22.

Beckham flew home with the rest of the England squad on Friday with his lower arm in plaster, having fractured the scaphoid bone connecting his right wrist and thumb during the 2-1 friendly win over South Africa in Durban on Thursday.

"He will be coming back to Manchester to be reviewed," United said in a statement. The injury is similar to the one suffered by French former United player Eric Cantona during his time at Old Trafford in the 1990s. Cantona played with a cast on his arm while recovering from that injury.

Beckham was substituted five minutes into the second half of Thursday's game after suffering the injury following a challenge in the first half.

The match was Beckham's last of the season as he is suspended for England's Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovakia on June 11. The new premier league season starts on August 16.

The latest injury comes just over a year after Beckham almost missed England's 2002 World Cup campaign after breaking a metatarsal bone in his left foot playing for United in a Champions League game last April.