Ralf Rangnick's only Man Utd signing could finally make debut after joining training
Ralf Rangnick’s solitary signing during his Manchester United tenure could finally be about to make his first-team debut against Luton Town on Sunday.
The Austrian took charge at Old Trafford on an interim basis from December 2021 to May 2022, replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the remainder of the season as United were prepared to wait until the end of the season to appoint a permanent boss, with Rangnick to take up a consultancy role at the club.
However, Rangnick left the club after Erik ten Hag was appointed as manager, never to take up his off-field role. The sole reminder of the 65-year-old’s miserable spell remains in 20-year-old centre-back Toby Collyer, who was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion as a then-18-year-old.
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The England youth international has played seven times for the U21s this season in the Premier League 2 and started twice in the EFL Trophy in his preferred holding midfield role. Though he’s yet to make his senior debut, he was again spotted in first-team training ahead of United’s Premier League trip to Kenilworth Road.
Collyer could well merit a place on the bench for the first time this season as Ten Hag remains yet to welcome Mason Mount back from injury, while Sofyan Amrabat has only recently returned from Morocco duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Man Utd fans – do you think Toby Collyer can become a first-team regular? Let us know in the comments section.
The emergence of 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in the first-team fold this season, and becoming one of the first names on the Dutchman’s team sheet, will give Collyer and 18-year-old forward Ethan Williams – who also trained with the first-team group – assurances there is a route into the senior side.
Though Rangnick didn’t make any first-team signings during his temporary tenure in the 2022 January window, he did hit out at the club for failing to attempt to sign Liverpool-bound Luis Diaz, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic and Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez – who all moved that month despite the Old Trafford board suggesting no one suitable was available.
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