Tyrell Malacia has barely had a look in at Man Utd this season.placeholder image
Tyrell Malacia has barely had a look in at Man Utd this season. | Getty Images
Manchester United are currently set to see a first team defender walk away as a free agent this summer.
Crystal Palace have a big summer ahead of them with change afoot at Selhurst Park come the end of a topsy-turvy 2025/26 campaign.
The Eagles have followed up that unforgettable FA Cup triumph with a season where off-the-pitch talk has dominated. There has been plenty of transfer action as Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi left the club, with Jean-Philippe Mateta also doing the same this week.
Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner has confirmed that he will move on from South London when his contract expires this summer. That will leave Crystal Palace looking for a new head coach, the search for who that may be likely to have already begun.
Crystal Palace should court Man Utd defender
One of Glasner’s biggest gripes with the board was a lack of investment and being left with a squad stretched too thin to compete with the huge number of fixtures thrown at the club this season.
When Glasner’s successor arrives, Crystal Palace will need to support the new manager’s vision by building a team to their liking. That makes it hard to get too ahead on potential targets but one transfer that could make perfect sense is for Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia.
The 26-year-old is reported to be angry with Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox for blocking a Deadline Day move away to Turkey from Old Trafford. Malacia, who has played just two minutes of Premier League football this season, is out of contract this summer.
Given his role in the side and anger at the board, it’s almost impossible to imagine the defender penning a new deal at Old Trafford. That would allow Malacia to leave as a free agent.
The Dutch international is absolutely someone who Crystal Palace should be looking at. There is already a huge amount of pressure on Tyrick Mitchell at left-back, and he’s the type of player the club could sanction an exit for if a significant bid came in - especially with his contract due to expire in 2027.
Crystal Palace do have Borna Sosa and Rio Cardines available but those players feel more like back-up than real starting XI options. Signing Malacia for free would strengthen in the position and potentially bring in an attacking-minded wing back who fits the Crystal Palace way.
Tyrell Malacia shows quality against Mohamed Salah
The Manchester United man has 26 Premier League appearances to his name and had been compared to Patrice Evra in the past. As Malacia broke through at Old Trafford following a £14.5 million move from Feyenoord, former Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand said: “Malacia was tremendous, outstanding. The whole back four were brilliant.
“He reminds me of Patrice Evra in many ways. He’s athletic, he looks like a pound-for-pound strong kid. There aren’t many left-backs in European or world football in the last four or five years who have gone out of a game and kept Mohamed Salah quiet. Yes, he scored a little goal but in the main of the game he kept him quiet. Salah would’ve come off that pitch thinking 'he's a tough competitor'.
“In terms of the physical duel, he was on him. In terms of getting up to him as soon as he took a touch and hitting him, he was there. Whenever he did get past him the odd time in the game he has the pace to cover and get back. I thought in all elements of his game, even on the ball, he’s so calm and composed.”
In other news, Crystal Palace star opens up on Stoke City loan after snubbing Swansea City.
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