Who is Tyrell Malacia? The left-back wanted by Ten Hag at Man Utd

 

It's only a matter of time before Manchester United delve into the transfer market. There have been significant outgoings already this summer, notably in midfield with Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all departing. United have sought to counter this in their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong, and while there is supposedly a consensus that a deal to bring the Dutchman to Old Trafford will be done, the Barcelona star won't be the only new addition in the off-season.

 

With Luke Shaw and Alex Telles at Erik ten Hag's disposal, few could have foreseen United pursuing a left-back this summer, particularly as other areas need to be prioritised. And yet, the Premier League side are looking to wrap up the signing of Feyenoord youngster Tyrell Malacia sooner rather than later. 

 

Ligue 1 side Lyon thought they'd won the race for the Dutchman, yet United have overtaken the French outfit. Malacia is a player Ten Hag reportedly wanted to sign for Ajax, yet the rivalry between the Eredivisie champions and Feyenoord proved too big a stumbling block for any deal to be considered. That may not have stopped Steven Berghuis from crossing the great divide 12 months ago, yet while the outcry was loud when the Netherlands international left, it would have been deafening had Malacia followed the same path. 

 

"That kid at left-back is amazing. Take note of him," Ten Hag told coach Michael Reiziger when Ajax beat Feyenoord 3-2 earlier this year. A deal to take him to Ajax would have been impossible, yet Ten Hag looks to finally be getting his man. A WhoScored rating of 7.14 would have been enough to make the Eredivisie team of the season at left-back had Daley Blind not earned the same rating from more appearances, yet Malacia's score was certainly deserved. 

 

With the onus on full-backs to get forward to stretch opponents and support the offensive in the modern game, it's an aspect Malacia carried out to a high standard with Feyenoord last season. Indeed, 40% of Feyenoord's attacks came down their left flank last term, the fourth highest proportion in the Eredivisie, to further highlight Malacia's impact. He and Luis Sinisterra worked well down that left flank for Arne Slot's side with the Dutchman not needing a second invitation to get forward and overlap his Colombian teammate when the latter did cut inside. 

 

 

50 successful dribbles was more than any other defender as he carried the ball well upfield to open up space and utilise the creative side to his game. A total of 35 key passes from open play ranked 20th in the Dutch top tier last term, while six accurate through balls was third behind Dusan Tadic (9) and Fredrik Midtsjø (7), so the Feyenoord star clearly has an eye for a defence-splitting passing. 

 

He did only return four assists, but that says more about his teammates' profligacy than it does Malacia's ability to create goalscoring opportunities. Off the ball, he isn't one to shy away from his defensive responsibilities. A return of 122 tackles and interceptions combined ranked 12th in the Eredivisie last season, a respectable return when you consider Malacia, at a shade under 5'6", isn't the most imposing of defenders. 

 

There are understandable concerns at whether he could handle the physicality of the Premier League, yet he's certainly proved any doubters wrong thus far, so much so that he has been nicknamed 'Pitbull'. With Shaw blowing hot and cold for United, and injuries again rearing their ugly head after a superb Euro 2020 campaign, and Telles potentially show the Old Trafford exit this summer, it's no wonder the Manchester outfit are courting another left-back. 

 

Malacia isn't the perfect left-back by any stretch, and his defensive positioning has been called into question in the past. However, he makes up for this with his incredible recovery speed that allows him to remain defensively sound. He may get away with this in the Eredivisie, but it's a trait that would be exposed in the Premier League, where the quality of opposition on the whole is of a higher standard. 

 

That said, he already has a huge admirer in Ten Hag and if supporters are to fully support the rebuild, then they need to back the judgement of their new boss. If he believes Malacia is the solution to any possible left-back issues, then his signing could prove a shrewd one.

Who is Tyrell Malacia? The left-back wanted by Ten Hag at Man Utd