July 21st 2024.
During the pre-season, Toby Collyer has been proudly wearing the captain's armband for Manchester United. His impressive skills and hard work have caught the attention of head coach Erik ten Hag, who has now named him as the next young player to have "earned" his chance to join the first-team.
At only 20 years old, Collyer has already made a name for himself among the club's rising stars. He was regularly included in the match day squads towards the end of the 2023-24 season, especially when many of the manager's usual players were sidelined due to injuries. In fact, alongside Harry Amass, Louis Jackson, Habeeb Ogunney, and Ethan Wheatley, Collyer was called upon to help the team in their final four Premier League matches.
His contributions did not go unnoticed, as he was even chosen to travel with the team to Wembley for the FA Cup final, where they emerged victorious against Manchester City. During the post-match celebrations, ten Hag was seen having a deep conversation with the young midfielder, just like how he did with Kobbie Mainoo after the previous year's Carabao Cup win over Newcastle United.
Showing his trust and belief in Collyer, ten Hag even gave him the captain's armband in the second half of the team's pre-season game against Rosenberg on Monday. He also started in the weekend's win over Rangers, alongside seasoned player Casemiro.
In an interview after the game, ten Hag shared, "You know me, I always want to create opportunities for young players, but they have to earn it. Toby has now earned his chance. Today, he started in the first XI, which is a big achievement, and we will see how we can continue to develop his skills." The Manchester Evening News reported his statement.
Ten Hag also mentioned the success stories of Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, who have become first-team players under his guidance. He even hinted that Collyer could be the fourth player to be given a chance to shine, after the likes of Garnacho, Mainoo, and Willy Kambwala, who recently joined Villarreal after playing for United's academy.
The team is currently in talks to sign midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, but there are still plenty of opportunities for Collyer and other young players in the middle of the park next season. With the future of Casemiro and Scott McTominay uncertain, there could be more chances for Collyer to impress and cement his place in the first team.
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