Toby Collyer has already caught the eye in pre-season in the Manchester United midfield, now Erik ten Hag is impressed.
Two games into the pre-season tour and Manchester United have had several players impress already, one of which being Toby Collyer in midfield.
The 20-year-old was tipped to be a feature in the first team this coming season prior to pre-season starting, and he’s living up to those expectations.
Heading to the US as part of the 29-man United squad, Collyer is likely to start against Arsenal, the same pre-season fixture that Kobbie Mainoo really broke through in last summer.
For Collyer, the club made their intentions clear when he was handed a new contract. Now, it’s been reported exactly what Erik ten Hag likes so much about the rounded midfielder.
Toby Collyer has impressed Erik ten Hag
In his two appearances to date, Collyer has shown why he got special treatment from Ten Hag after May’s FA Cup triumph and has begun to establish himself as a player to watch.
Collyer’s rise has been slow, but he’s clearly caught the eye of coaches having been training with the first team for months last season despite not getting his debut.
Amid a midfield struggle with signings proving tough to come by, Collyer could have a golden opportunity to become this season’s ‘surprise’ from Carrington.
According to The Athletic, Collyer has impressed due to his ability to retain possession under significant pressure in the defensive and middle thirds.
This of course is a welcomed quality in this United side after last season where sloppy possessions and turnovers allowed opponents to often have field days on Andre Onana’s goal.
What type of player is Toby Collyer?
With Collyer primed for a spot in Ten Hag’s midfield options this season, where does he fit in and what can we expect?
The former Brighton midfielder has excellent awareness, composure and press resistance when under pressure and also a safe pair of feet to build out from the back with.
With a limited passing range, he resembles Declan Rice in many ways – as reinforced by The Athletic – with his tall and strong physique coupled with a knack for breaking up opponents’ breaks.
Collyer’s long legs allow him to navigate the pitch with ease, making him excellent in defensive midfield positions as he can cover large areas very quickly.
Standing at 6ft 1in, Collyer could yet become a dominant physical midfielder which would aid him if he is to develop into an option to partner Mainoo – although he isn’t quite ready for that yet.
He clearly has Ten Hag’s trust, and if he continues to impress he could find the 2024/25 season is his breakout year.
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