- Manchester United must decide on Toby Collyer
- Midfielder has had a bright stint at Hull
- Can he force his way back into the first team
With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Manchester United must decide what to do with Toby Collyer.
Across the 2025/26 season, injuries have plagued Collyer, cutting short a loan spell with West Bromwich Albion before he returned to the Championship, where he has plied his trade on loan with Hull City.
He started brightly with Hull, picking up minutes across a myriad of games, but a twisted ankle ended his season prematurely once again, restricting him to just five appearances for the Tigers.
However, his 104 minutes across those games still sparked interest at the club, and with Hull sneaking into the playoffs on the final day of the season, the club has already requested a second spell from the United midfielder, per The Athletic.
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Collyer’s Uncertain Future
United face a huge transfer window in the coming months. With a myriad of players planning to depart the club, Manchester United must assess every position within the squad and determine exactly where reinforcements are required.
The midfield stands out as the most pressing area in need of improvement. Casemiro is expected to depart the club on 30 June, when his contract expires, whilst Manuel Ugarte could follow him through the revolving door, with the Uruguayan having done little to truly impress across his 21-month stint at the club.
The majority of the summer transfer budget will be directed toward replacing these two players, whilst also bringing in a third option to solidify the unit.
This is where the Collyer dilemma truly comes into play. United do not possess unlimited financial firepower. The side took a significant hit after finishing 15th last campaign, failing to qualify for the Champions League and missing out on European football entirely for the first time since the 2013/14 season—the first campaign following Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
Whilst the club still retains funds to invest, they cannot afford to spend recklessly on three separate midfielders. The most logical pathway presents two clear options:
- Two new signings, with a combined outlay in the region of £120 to £160 million, complemented by an academy graduate or current loanee—such as Collyer—stepping in to fill the role of a third option.
- Or three new signings, two of which command a combined £100 to £120 million, alongside a younger, less experienced profile acquired for a fee in the region of £25 to £35 million.
Regardless, United will likely spend upwards of £150m on at least two new midfielders.
Man Utd Midfield Overhaul
A myriad of names sit on the shortlist, including Eduardo Camavinga, Sandro Tonali, Aurélien Tchouameni, and most notably Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. But for the first option, United will look within.
Names such as Jim Thwaites and Sekou Kone continue to surface. Thwaites offers a real option. The dead-ball specialist has impressed for the U18s and looks ready to step closer to first-team football next season.
Thwaites has already made the bench for a Premier League fixture against Chelsea, but with no senior minutes yet, it raises the question of whether it is too soon to rely on him as a rotation option.
Sekou Kone does not look ready for the Premier League jump. After recovering from a fractured eye socket earlier in the campaign, he has spent the second half of the season with INEOS-owned Lausanne-Sport.
But like Collyer, injuries have disrupted his rhythm again, and another loan looks likely. Collyer draws the most attention.
Under former head coach Ruben Amorim, he featured 13 times, and he would have played more if a leg injury had not interrupted him. The Portuguese coach even called him “brave.”
Collyer has a bright future, and whether he spends next season on loan at Hull—who could reach the Premier League—or stays, he will stay firmly in the minds of the United hierarchy as they shape the squad for a Champions League campaign.
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