Tyrell Malacia has been reintroduced to the Manchester United first-team after being part of the ‘Bomb Squad’ at the start of the summer transfer window
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has already shared his thoughts on the reintroduction of Tyrell Malacia to the first-team squad this week.
The Dutch defender was part of a group of five players, dubbed the ‘Bomb Squad’, who sought to leave the club at the start of the summer transfer window. Malacia, along with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho, all expressed their desire to depart before the window shut.
Four of these players managed to secure moves elsewhere, but Malacia’s proposed switch to La Liga side Elche fell through. Following the closure of most of the European transfer windows on September 1, there were suggestions that Malacia could be sold to a Turkish club.
However, it was reported that a move to Eyupspor was rejected by the player himself. Now, after following an individual training programme away from the club, Malacia is gradually being reintegrated into the first team, starting with sessions with the U21s.
The decision to bring Malacia back into the first-team setup is likely to elicit mixed reactions from United fans. The full-back spent the entire 2023/24 season sidelined due to injury and was brought in by Erik ten Hag for a completely different system.
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Nonetheless, there’s no sense in having a player on the payroll who isn’t going to contribute to the first team, so United will be looking to get value for money from him. Whether or not Keane will be pleased to see him back as an option remains to be seen.
In January 2023, Keane was left fuming with Malacia’s lack of focus during the FA Cup fourth-round match against then-Championship side Reading. With the score goalless at half-time, Keane didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Dutch defender who failed to notice Junior Hoilett at the far post.
Keane vented his frustration on ITV Sport, saying: “Honestly, what are these defenders thinking? It drives me mad, it’s like he [Malacia] is surprised somebody is next to him.
“Just switch on, be aware of what’s around you on a football pitch. Drives me crazy.”
The last thing United need is more uncertainty in their defence following the 3-1 defeat to Brentford. The loss and the errors made have increased pressure on Ruben Amorim, with speculation growing about his future in Manchester.
Gareth Southgate is reportedly being considered as a potential replacement for Amorim if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos decide that change is necessary. However, it appears that Amorim will still be at the helm for the upcoming match against Sunderland this weekend.
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2025-09-30 18:23:39
