West Brom manager Ryan Mason has confirmed Toby Collyer’s absence from training as the Manchester United loanee recovers from a muscle injury.
It has been a tumultuous start for Toby Collyer on loan at Championship side West Brom. Ryan Mason’s side currently sit 12th and have only won one of their last five Championship fixtures.
The midfielder has struggled for minutes at The Hawthorns, making brief appearances off the bench until he was rewarded with a start in the 3-0 defeat against Millwall. However, Collyer kept his place for the next match, a 2-1 win over Preston North End, where the 21-year-old managed to provide an assist.
Unfortunately, the midfielder sustained yet another injury in the 55th minute, which has left him unable to play or train for the last three fixtures. This comes at a time when it seemed like the United loanee was just cementing himself into the Baggies midfield.
The former Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason has previously heaped praise on the young prospect, who was wanted by numerous clubs during the summer, both on permanent and loan deals. Both West Brom and Manchester United will be hoping Collyer can make a quick recovery and find his way back into the side.
West Brom boss believes in Collyer
Since Collyer’s absence from the side, West Brom have gone on a three-game winless run, with the atmosphere at the Hawthorns becoming hostile, as some fans boo the side off the pitch. The Baggies would have been expected to be pushing for the play-offs before the season, but as of now, they currently sit in 12th.
Speaking to the Express & Star, Ryan Mason confirmed that: “Neither of them trained with a team, so no,” when asked about Collyer and a teammate’s availability for their Tuesday night fixture.
The United loanee, who has suffered a nightmare number of injuries early on in his career, has been praised by Mason, saying: “Toby’s a young player, but we know we’re going to need him and he’s going to help us. But when you go on loan to somewhere, I think you need to feel like you’re wanted from the club and the manager, and he certainly is that.”
Although only breaking into the West Brom starting squad a couple of games before his injury, Mason was adamant that the young midfielder would gain the experience at the Hawthorns.
“The more game exposure you can get, the better, especially at a young age,” Mason continued. “I’m sure, and I expect that Toby knows that I believe in him, which for me is super important.”
It is worth noting that the Championship campaign is still in its early stages, and Collyer is on loan until the end of the season. This leaves plenty of time for the Englishman to recover and regain his place in the starting lineup, and help the Baggies regain some form and push for promotion to the top flight.
The future for Toby Collyer at United
Toby Collyer made a total of 13 first-team appearances during the 2024/2025 season for the Red Devils. He was highly rated by Erik ten Hag, who was impressed with the young midfielder’s constant running and the amount of ground he covered.
However, he was sent on loan to the Championship to guarantee more game time, which was sensible for United as it is clear the midfield is not short of options, with Kobiee Mainoo not even being able to find a spot in the squad.
United will be hoping that Collyer can bounce back from this injury and gain some good momentum in the Championship. This would allow him to return to Old Trafford full of confidence and fighting for Casemiro’s place in the side next season.
But if the 21-year-old does not manage to turn around his inconsistent loan spell, his potential could be lost, and he would likely be shipped out of United during the summer transfer window.
Both Amorim and United’s fans have seen what Collyer is capable of. Controlling the midfield at such a young age in the Prem is no easy feat, and hopefully, he can bring that confidence to West Brom on his return from injury.
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