Ruben Amorim is moving quickly to shape his squad as much as possible to his liking by the time the Premier League kicks off, and his latest decision is monumental for multiple players.
The clarity with which Ruben Amorim has approached squad building this summer deserves credit, as he has identified the group of players he will ride or die with.
However, as the pre-season tour has gone on, further cuts to the squad are being made, especially since the arrivals can’t stop at just Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
One such cut being made is likely to be Toby Collyer leaving on loan, and that is a massive call for more than just Collyer.
Ruben Amorim’s Toby Collyer decision
It was a decision that was simultaneously expected and surprising, because Collyer, on paper, seemed to have the energy and athleticism to work in Amorim’s team.
However, at the same time, there were valid question marks over his ability and potential ceiling, which should be answered by a loan move.
It has been reported that United are hopeful of sanctioning a loan for Collyer because they want to satisfy Amorim’s transfer demand to Ineos.
While that in itself is a massive repercussion and provides a hint about Man Utd’s transfer plans after signing Mbeumo and Cunha, the implications don’t stop there.
Besides getting a sense of clarity over Collyer’s true ability and making space for a midfield addition, it also puts a new perspective on how much Man Utd’s newest wonderkid has impressed Ruben Amorim.
Collyer decision reaffirms Tyler Fredricson’s credentials
Collyer and Tyler Fredricson play completely different positions, but the game of optics is such that the decision to send Collyer on loan reflects extremely well on Fredricson.
Collyer has been a highly-rated player in the academy for a while now, and has more first-team pedigree than Fredricson, dating back to his days of being Erik ten Hag’s “anointed wonderkid”.
Furthermore, United have many more options to call upon in defence than they do in midfield, so for Collyer’s loan to be sanctioned before there is any noise on Fredricson is a statement of intent.
It shows that Fredricson has carved out a place for himself in Amorim’s plans, despite not being highly rated in the academy, and playing a position that figures to have intense competition.
Amorim has been Fredricson’s fan ever since he gave him his debut out of nowhere, and the youngster has repaid that faith with composed displays.
Willy Kambwala did something similar in the 2023/24 season, but United promptly sold him while his value was high, instead of keeping him and hoping he builds on those displays.
The fact that the same decision hasn’t been made for Fredricson, and, if anything, his role is only set to grow from here, stands in stark contrast to Collyer, who will have to prove his credentials away from Old Trafford.
Expect Fredricson to surprise a few more people this season if he keeps up the form because he looks to have achieved the difficult part already, which is earning the trust of Amorim.
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