Man Utd recall 21-year-old from Championship loan as Ruben Amorim 'toys' with transfer decision

Manchester United have reportedly recalled Toby Collyer from his loan at West Bromwich Albion, but the midfielder may not get his chance in the first team just yet.

Ruben Amorim is grappling with a midfield shortage ahead of Friday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United, which Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes will both miss through injury.

Mainoo has spent over a week on the sidelines with a calf problem, which should not take too much longer to heal, but Fernandes's hamstring problem could sideline the Red Devils captain for the next few weeks.

In terms of senior players, Man United's only fit recognised central midfielders right now are Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro, the former of whom failed to impress during a rare start in last weekend's 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.

Mason Mount can occupy a deeper role but has been deployed as one of Amorim's number 10s in recent times, although Lisandro Martinez could be an emergency alternative alongside fellow South American Casemiro.

Man Utd 'recall' injured Toby Collyer from West Brom loan

Amid Amorim's midfield shortage, The Athletic reports that Man United have quietly recalled Collyer from The Hawthorns, bringing a premature end to the Englishman's loan stint in the Championship.

Collyer registered one assist in 12 matches for Ryan Mason's side, although he only made three starts in the second tier and was sent back to Carrington in late November after suffering a calf injury.

Man United have now decided that Collyer will not be heading back to West Brom when he has recovered, meaning that the 21-year-old could provide additional midfield backup for the second half of the campaign.

However, a number of other Championship clubs are reportedly keen on taking Collyer on loan for the next six months, as he may struggle for opportunities when Mainoo and Fernandes both return.

Man Utd's Toby Collyer stance 'revealed' after loan recall

In spite of his current lack of midfield options, Amorim is supposedly happy to give the green light to another loan exit for Collyer, according to a separate report from The Sun.

While the Red Devils have not made a firm decision either way, they are weighing up their options and have not ruled out allowing the 21-year-old to earn regular game time in the lower leagues again.

At the same time, however, Amorim is said to be 'toying' with the idea of handing Collyer a few first-team minutes, but the midfielder recognises that his opportunities will be limited due to Man Utd's lack of European and EFL Cup football.

The England Under-20 international has already made 13 appearances for the Man United first team, all of which came during the 2024-25 campaign under Amorim and Erik ten Hag, including five Premier League substitute outings.

Collyer joined Man United from Brighton in early 2022, and his contract with the Red Devils expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.