Malacia's exile at Man United leaves him baffled under Amorim
By Ollie Lewis, Sports Digital editor, on 24 October 2026, Tyrell Malacia, 27, revealed that he was expelled from Man United’s first‑team squad without any explanation. The former Dutch full‑back, who arrived for £14.6m in 2022, spent 18 months recovering from a serious knee injury before the controversy unfolded.
From debut promise to injury setback
Malacia enjoyed a strong debut season under Erik ten Hag, establishing himself as a reliable left‑back after his £14.6m signing. A complicated knee injury then sidelined him for 18 months, curtailing the momentum he had built at Old Trafford.
Loan to PSV and return to pre‑season
After regaining fitness, Malacia was loaned to PSV Eindhoven for six months, gaining valuable minutes in the Dutch league. He returned for the 2025 pre‑season, hoping the new campaign would revive his Man United career.
Training separate and exile under Amorim
Before the new season began, United announced that Malacia, alongside Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, would train apart from Ruben Amorim’s squad. The Portuguese manager made it clear that Malacia had no future at the club, and the full‑back now plies his trade with MLS side FC Cincinnati.
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"I don't know where that came from, I don't know if it was Ruben or higher up or anything, but I never said anything about it, I just kept working and doing my thing even though it was difficult sometimes training in a group of five," Malacia told. "At some point Marcus, Garnacho and even Antony left. Then I stayed on my own, training with the second team, even with the under‑18s and below. It's tough mentally."
He added that he had a frank discussion with interim boss Michael Carrick about his future. "I had a good conversation with Michael when he came," Malacia said. "Obviously, I wanted to leave, then some injuries came so I couldn't leave because of the numbers in the squad. That was difficult to accept."
Malacia featured off the bench in the away match against Newcastle on 5 March and was given a farewell appearance against Brighton on 24 May. He had been included in Amorim’s matchday squads from late November until his abrupt exit in the New Year, but his desire for a January departure was never realised.
Despite the limited playing time, Malacia maintains that he does not regret his stint at United. "I had a great time in my first season and the people who worked there and the players I met were amazing, so, nah, I really enjoyed my time," he concluded, leaving his next career move still uncertain.