Toby Collyer faces rocky road at Manchester United despite Ruben Amorim decision

Toby Collyer became Manchester United's 251st academy graduate when he made his senior debut in the Community Shield and nailing down a midfield place will not be easy

Toby Collyer became Manchester United’s 251st academy graduate to roll off Old Trafford’s fabled production line when he made his senior debut in August.

Collyer got his first taste of senior action when he replaced Kobbie Mainoo in the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City at Wembley. The midfielder had been knocking loudly on the first-team door and Erik ten Hag handed him his Premier League debut when he replaced the hapless Casemiro at half-time in the 3-0 mauling at Old Trafford by Liverpool.

Collyer made his full United debut a couple of weeks later in the Carabao Cup against Barnsley at left-back. Collyer, who turned 21 this month, caught Ruben Amorim’s eye after returning from injury and has come off the bench in United’s last three games.

United are well known for bringing young players through and they have boasted at least one academy player in every matchday squad since 1937. However, the Worthing-born Collyer initially shone with Brighton before moving to Old Trafford nearly three years ago.

He developed with Brighton’s Under-12s before making his Under-18 debut at 15 and his Under-23 one at 17. He turned down the offer of a contract with the Seagulls to join United on a three-and-a-half year deal just after his 18th birthday in March 2022. The rules were changed to allow him to count as an academy product and United could have a midfield talent on their hands.

Physically strong, the right-footed Collyer is a holding midfielder, who likes to play a pass and dribble.

Amorim hopes to dip him and out of the team and he will find it hard to make many starts this season with Mainoo - another academy graduate - Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen all ahead of him. It is interesting that Amorim did not want to send him out on loan for the reminder of this season and he clearly sees him as part of his first-team squad.

Collyer has been capped at Under-16 and Under-17 levels by England and received his first Under-20 call-up in October. However he still has much work to do to make it at Old Trafford and many other young players flopped after breaking through, such as Brandon Williams, Adnan Januzaj, James Wilson, Ravel Morrison and Febian Brandy.

It makes it harder that United are such a mess and it would be easier for him to establish himself at at a more-stable club. Still he feels he is in the right place and says he is learning every day from his more-experienced team-mates.

“I can’t put it into words how grateful I am,” he told the club’s matchday programme, United Review. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to reach the level I’ve got to at the minute. I think as much as I’ve done hard work, they’ve worked hard with me as well to help me and give me tips, like I’ve said previously. It’s massive for me.

“You learn so much, just little things. Them speaking to you during the game about your positioning or certain things to look for when you get the ball, certain areas to pick up. Everyone in the group is really massive for my development and they’ve all helped me improve so much already.”

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