West Bromwich Albion have agreed to take Toby Collyer on a year long loan from Man United.
The 21-year-old turned down a contract with Brighton when he had the chance to develop his game in the academy with the Red Devils. Impressing in the Under-21s, he has risen through the ranks.
The midfielder made his debut for the first team against Manchester City in the Community Shield last August. The next month, he earned his first Premier League minutes in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool.
Collyer received playing time in four competitions, but he only got five more matches in the league and 13 in total. At this stage of his career, minutes are most important, and more will come his way.
Collyer can grow away from Man United meat grinder
Being thrown into the fire for the Red Devils against a midfield full of fire from the days of Jurgen Klopp was a rough ordeal. But it indicated how Collyer has the chops to compete in the men's game.
The 21-year-old has the engine to get around the pitch, is willing to get his hands dirty in duels, and can release passes well on both feet. His technical and physical traits have stood out to West Brom.
"Toby is a dynamic midfielder who we rate highly and believe his strengths will complement our strong midfield. He is an ideal central midfielder for our playing model with his physical attributes, progressive play and passing ability, and has the capability to make a real impression this season."
He can get smarter and sharper with how he moves with the ball, but there is time for the midfielder to mature. He thinks that he is in the right environment to refine tools that are showing signs of promise.
“I spoke with the gaffer Ryan Mason and I got a really good first impression from him. Albion seems like the right place and the right environment for me and I’m hoping to play as much as possible.
“It is a great opportunity to help the team and take my game to the next level. I’m really excited.”
There might have been more chances for Collyer in Manchester, but that could have come at a cost.
Collyer can grow away from Man United meat grinder
**Manuel Ugarte**came to the club from Paris Saint-Germain for £51 million, the same fee that the Parisians paid for him in 2023. He fell out of favour with Luis Enrique, who had high demands for the technical talent of his midfield, and his grit is not enough of a defensive strength to compensate.
Ruben Amorim admitted Mason Mount can play in a deeper role, but he has to focus on staying fit first, and his profile in a similar structure under **Thomas Tuchel**at **Chelsea**suited the role of a ten.
Bruno Fernandes has filled in as one of the pivots for his compatriot many times this year. He is a talisman who loves to get on the ball, and he can look forward to feeding more talent in the final third.
However, he is preferably an attacking midfielder, and time will tell if he can last the campaign in a role with different demands. The other talismanic figure in the department, Casemiro, has seen better days and was a gamble for the medium term, having left Real Madrid at the age of 30 years old.
Kobbie Mainoo made his way through the academy and was a bright light in the darkness of his first season. However, the last twelve months have highlighted the downside of relying too much on the youth, as his intelligence and bravery cannot make up for the flaws among the more senior options.
For the sake of his personal development, Collyer could benefit from not going down the same path.