A defender sidelined for 9 months surprises Manchester United

24/09/2025 15:20:00 esportapi

Removed from the first-team strategy by Ruben Amorim during the summer, Tyrell Malacia astonished both teammates and the Manchester United coaching team through his professional attitude and determination not to give up.

Last summer, Ruben Amorim identified five players outside his plans at Manchester United: Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, and Tyrell Malacia. While the others secured new clubs, only Malacia remained stuck at Old Trafford as transfer deals with Elche and Eyupspor collapsed.

Manchester United’s management still registered the Dutch defender in the Premier League squad, but he was required to train separately throughout the preseason. This surprised the Red Devils internally since Malacia is not known for causing trouble or disrupting the locker room atmosphere.

Ruben Amorim excluded Malacia from the first team right from summer

According to the Daily Mail, Malacia has been training with the U21 squad for the past two weeks. The young players were shocked by his training intensity and spirit. Witnesses confirmed Malacia’s performance “exceeded expectations” and his attitude served as “an example for everyone else.” Despite being labeled “out of plans,” the 26-year-old maintained a rare level of professionalism.

Furthermore, Malacia even volunteered to play for the U21s to regain fitness and match rhythm. However, Manchester United have yet to approve this since the reserve team spot currently belongs to the young talent Diego Leon. Using Malacia could directly impact the development path of this prospect, putting the coaching staff in a difficult position.

Malacia’s situation clearly reflects Amorim’s management style. The Portuguese coach is known for his strictness, willing to exclude players not in his plans regardless of their transfer value or experience. This approach also made it difficult for another young talent, Kobbie Mainoo, to break into the first team despite Erik ten Hag’s previous trust in him.

Malacia amazed everyone at Old Trafford with his professional attitude

For Malacia, consistently maintaining a positive training attitude could open future opportunities. Although the left-back position currently belongs to Patrick Dorgu and the reserves prioritize Diego Leon, his fighting spirit is highly regarded by teammates. This perseverance allows Malacia to retain some hope amid Manchester United’s dilemma: keeping him unused wastes resources, while giving him chances could hinder a young player’s progress.

Malacia’s future will likely be decided in the January transfer window. But right now, his admirable spirit and attitude have made him one of the few bright spots during a turbulent period at Old Trafford.

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