Manchester United have a logjam in midfield and Toby Collyer is the one waiting to see where the dominoes fall. The 22-year-old academy product has done everything right during preseason but the club’s transfer business will ultimately decide if he stays, goes on loan, or leaves permanently.
United have already brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million plus add-ons. Santos was officially announced Monday and will wear the number 17 shirt. They’re also closing in on Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans, whose £35 million release clause was triggered by Michael Carrick’s side. Tielemans made it clear he wanted the move despite Villa’s efforts to keep him.
But the real story here is what happens next. United want at least one more midfielder this summer, according to multiple reports. And once that deal is done, Collyer will finally get some clarity on his own situation.
Loan move most likely for Collyer
Steven Railston of the Manchester Evening News laid it out pretty plainly. Collyer will get his chance to impress Carrick during preseason friendlies — he’s already reported to Carrington and will be involved in United’s summer fixtures. But Railston noted that a loan exit is the most probable outcome once the roster picture clears up. A permanent move hasn’t been ruled out either.
Collyer spent the first half of last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion before moving to Hull City for the second half. People close to him believe a consistent run of games will prove what he can do at the Premier League level. He’s been described before as having a freakish work rate, which is the kind of trait Carrick tends to value.
United’s midfield overhaul is far from over
The Ederson deal falling through was a curveball. United had a medical scheduled for the Atalanta midfielder after Brazil’s World Cup involvement ended. But concerns about his fitness emerged and Fabrizio Romano confirmed last week that United pulled the plug. Ederson has since left the UK and Atalanta offered him a new contract.
So United are still hunting for another body in the middle. Tielemans would bring experience and range. Santos is younger, more of a box-to-box type. The third signing could be anything from a defensive specialist to another creative option. Until that happens, Collyer is essentially in limbo.
The kid wants to make it at United, and he’s not shy about that. But he’s also open to moving somewhere else if that’s what it takes to establish himself as a regular Premier League player. That’s a mature position for a 22-year-old who’s spent two seasons bouncing around the Championship on loan.
What happens next probably depends on who United can actually land. If they bring in a younger prospect, Collyer might get squeezed out entirely. If they target a veteran, there could still be room for him as a rotational piece. Either way, it’s a sit-and-wait situation that should resolve before the window closes.
Leave a Comment