After breaking through into the first team last season, one Manchester United academy starlet is ready to play more next season after recovering from injury.
All of the attention so far in this summer transfer window has been on the attack, as Manchester United look to remedy the dismal goal tally of 44 that they accumulated last season in the Premier League.
With the signing of Matheus Cunha done, and Bryan Mbeumo looking likely, they’ve now set their targets on a statement striker signing, with names such as Viktor Gyökeres and Hugo Ekitike linked.
Despite all this, United’s midfield could also be in for reinforcements. Christian Eriksen is out of contract, Casemiro is linked with a move away, and Mason Mount’s time at Old Trafford has been riddled with injuries.
With the club’s tight budget this summer, there may not be enough money left over to sign midfield reinforcements. However, they may not have to look very far, as they have a midfielder on their hands who is eager to fight for his place in United’s midfield next season.
Toby Collyer ready to battle for his place
Despite United’s worst-ever league finish, one of the few positives to take from the 2024/25 campaign is Toby Collyer’s breakthrough into the first team, marked by some “crazy” performances under Amorim, despite injury issues.
The 21-year-old was handed his senior debut under Erik ten Hag, starting in the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City in August, before being given more minutes in league fixtures.
The prospect made 13 total appearances last season, playing a total of 467 minutes in his first season. His last appearance came in mid-March, before he picked up an injury that would see his next fixture on the club’s post-season tour.
Collyer spoke to club media about what he’s learned while on the sidelines ahead of what’s set to be a demanding season under Ruben Amorim, saying: “There is nothing like the Premier League. The demands it puts on your body, going from the Under-21s, is a big step.
But I feel like I’ve adapted well, and I think that is the main thing, as I’ve had a few injuries this year. But I think it’s an opportunity for me to learn how my body works. What I can do and what I can’t do. What things work for me.
“Obviously, nobody wants to be injured, but you can see the positives in it. You can always analyse things and see how this happened, like what can you do to prevent it and you learn stuff about your body.
“So, now, going into next season, I know 100 per cent what I need to do.”
Collyer has the right mindset for Amorim’s system
Adapting from ten Hag’s 4-2-3-1 to Amorim’s trademark 3-4-2-1 system proved to be a challenging task for several players, with the Portuguese coach having to guide them through games at times.
Collyer, however, adapted to life under Amorim quite well, as the youngster’s underlying stats have shown that he would fit perfectly as one of the defensive midfielders in United’s starting XI.
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During his time at Old Trafford, Amorim has spoken at length about the physical demands of English football, and Collyer’s work rate is something that was missed during his injury absence.
Collyer’s speciality is winning duels and tracking back. At one point last campaign, Collyer topped the Premier League when it came to his success rate in winning ground duels, as well as having freakish running stats, which makes him a perfect fit for the defensive pivot.
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