Brandon Williams has commented on the reasons behind his omission from Erik ten Hag’s squad that has travelled for Manchester United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.
Ten Hag named a 31-man squad on Friday ahead of flying to Asia, where the Red Devils face Liverpool in Bangkok on Tuesday. The travelling party featured a number of first-team regulars, youth gems and Tyrell Malacia, but did not include Williams or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United confirmed Williams would not be making the trip due to a ‘small issue’ and would continue working at Carrington. The blow comes amid speculation surrounding the 21-year-old’s future at Old Trafford after spending last season on loan at Norwich City.
Williams omitted from pre-season squad amid doubt over Manchester United future
Williams enjoyed a mostly successful spell at Carrow Road, despite the Canaries suffering relegation from the Premier League. The left-back played in 26 of the Norfolk outfit’s top-flight matches and also provided one assist, while playing two FA Cup and one EFL Cup tie.
He now hopes to continue playing regular senior minutes next term, but is unlikely to hold an important role under Ten Hag. The Sun report Manchester United would accept bids of £10m for the England U21 defender, with a raft of clubs showing varying levels of interest.
The severity of an issue that would see Ten Hag omit Williams from his pre-season squad could now hinder the likelihood of a transfer away from Manchester United. But the Red Devils product has taken to Instagram to issue a defiant comment on his current situation.
“My injury, I told myself to deal with it and bounce back stronger,” he wrote. “My goal is to play in-front of the best fans in the world.”
Williams has two years still to run on his contract with Manchester United after penning an extension in 2020. He has also made 50 senior appearances for the club so far, including in 21 Premier League games, with 30 starts for a goal and three assists across all competitions.