There are three notable names included in Manchester United’s 25-man roster list for the UEFA Europe League competition: Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Leny Yoro. Each member of the triad is notable for very different reasons, with Malacia being arguably the most unique.
The very first signing of the Erik ten Hag era, Malacia missed all of last season due to a serious knee injury.
The Dutch left back was signed to be cover for the very injury prone Luke Shaw, but has proven to be actually even less reliable for selection. His last appearance of any sort came for his national team against Croatia in a UEFA Nations League clash versus Croatia in June of 2023.
The last time he featured for Man Utd was vs Fulham on the 28th of May, 2023. So this is a long time coming for him.
Malacia is nearing a return, and it will almost certainly come in October, perhaps in this specific competition.
Speaking of anticipated returns, Leny Yoro, the club’s second signing this summer, got hurt against Arsenal, in a July friendly in Los Angeles. We’re still waiting to see him feature in a United shirt in a competitive match.
Finally, Casemiro is probably the most boring and pointless transfer rumors subject of all time. Linked with a loan move to Galatasaray this week, it’s clear that he’s not leaving.
Strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer, it turned out that no one actually wanted him. Given how terribly awful his form has been lately (and in the back half of last season too), it’s easy to understand why.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.