Erik ten Hag confirms exciting Manchester United starlet will ‘contribute’ in first-team next season

Erik ten Hag has confirmed that one of the exciting Manchester United academy talents will be contributing for the first-team next season.

The Reds have now played two pre-season friendly games, and several young stars have made their case for inclusion in the touring squad to the United States.

Perhaps the player who has impressed the most in the fixtures against Rosenborg and Rangers is 20-year-old midfielder Toby Collyer.

The former Brighton youth player captained a youthful second-half team against Rosenborg before starting alongside the first-team regulars in the second clash against Rangers.

He has performed well and looks to be a useful option in the deeper midfield role. His out-of-possession game seems very promising.

When asked about Collyer after the latest clash in Scotland, Erik ten Hag explained that he wants to see the academy players succeed in the first team, as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have.

He also stated that Collyer is the fourth player to take that pathway, which strongly suggests that he has a role to play next term.

“You know me, I always want to make pathways for young players but they have to earn it,” Ten Hag told reporters.

“He’s now earned an opportunity. Today he was in the starting XI, that’s something, and we see how we can progress.

“We saw last year with [Alejandro] Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo what can happen, so the pathway is also open for other players and Toby is there in fourth.”

The Manchester Evening News explained that Ten Hag was believed to be suggesting Collyer would be the ‘fourth’ academy player to contribute to the first-team squad after Garnacho, Mainoo, and Willy Kambwala.

Each of those players was significantly involved in the first team last term, and so it appears that Collyer is in a great position to do the same this season.

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