Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia will be allowed to leave the club during the January transfer window, with manager Ruben Amorim approving the deal. The 25-year-old Dutch international can be loaned out, but whether he can find a new club will depend on continued efforts from the club and his agent, a situation similar to that of his friend Marcus Rashford.
Malacia joined United in 2022 for a fee of £13 million from Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, becoming the first signing under former manager Erik ten Hag. The player initially performed well in his first season, even displacing Luke Shaw as the starting left-back at one point. However, he soon found himself sidelined alongside his English rival due to long-term injuries in the treatment room.
Due to a serious knee injury, Malacia underwent two surgeries, missing 18 months, including the entire previous season. He finally returned to action last November, making five appearances since then, but often performing mediocrely and being substituted at halftime.
According to the Dutch media outlet "Voetbal International," Manchester United and Amorim informed Malacia on Friday that he could seek a new club, with expectations that he might leave on loan in the second half of the season.
It seems that Amorim has determined that Malacia is not good enough to play for his Manchester United team, preferring to use Diogo Dalot and Mazraoui as makeshift left-backs rather than selecting Malacia. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach also revealed that 29-year-old Luke Shaw is expected to recover from his injury this month. There have been inquiries from several European clubs about renting Malacia, but it is still unknown whether he can truly leave and which team he will join.
Dutch journalist Jost Blaufuss claimed: "Malacia is leaving Manchester United, sources close to the player have confirmed this. The left-back is about to reach an agreement with a new club and will be loaned to a top European club. Amorim has approved the loan."
Manchester United is said to be looking to bring in a new left-back this year, with many well-known European left-backs on the candidate list. However, Nuno Mendes, who was recently rumored to be interested in Paris Saint-Germain, is no longer a possibility. Previously, the 22-year-old Portuguese international encountered obstacles in renewing his contract with PSG, using Manchester United as leverage to raise his price and pressure the club. This player, who joined Paris for £34 million, came from Sporting CP's youth academy and had previously worked with Amorim.
At the end of last year, Mendes, whose contract runs until 2026, rejected PSG's new contract offer and successfully achieved his goal through rumors linking him with Manchester United. French newspaper L'Équipe reported that Mendes has now received the treatment he wanted and will sign a new contract. The report explained that Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique played a significant role in persuading Mendes to stay, promising that the full-back is key to his plans.
Manchester United is also believed to be interested in Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, whose contract expires this summer. However, like Mendes, the 23-year-old Canadian prodigy appears ready to reject a move to Old Trafford and instead renew with his current club, Bayern.
Manchester United has other options, such as Spanish left-back Álvaro Fernández Carreño, 21, who was sold to Benfica in Portugal for €6 million, with the club having a buyback clause of €20 million. Additionally, there are Premier League players like Bournemouth's Marcos Kolkcz, Wolves' Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Fulham's Antonee Robinson, but these players come at a high price, with valuations around £40 million.
Kolkcz scored for Bournemouth over the weekend, helping the team achieve a 4-1 victory over the recently hot Newcastle United. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed: "Kolkcz scored for Bournemouth, he has consistently shown top-level performance this season, and both Manchester United and Liverpool are closely monitoring his development."
Robinson ranks third in the Premier League assist charts with nine assists, only behind Salah and Saka. Nuri is second in the defender scoring chart with three goals, just behind Manchester City's Gvardiol. Among the rumored candidates for Manchester United is Danish international Dorgu from Serie A's Lecce. It remains to be seen who Amorim will ultimately acquire, likely not until the summer transfer window.