Tyrell Malacia Opens Up on Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd Exile 2026

Key Points

• According to Tyrell Malacia, he was put into Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United “bomb squad” without any explanation.
• He mentioned that he was unaware whether the decision to place him there had been taken by Amorim or by the club’s officials.
• The player would train individually with smaller groups and sometimes with the under-21s team and even sometimes the under-18 and under-17 teams.
• He explained that he had found this period tough from the mental point of view, but he continued training in order not to give a chance to the club to find a justification for his exclusion.
• Finally, Rashford, Garnacho, and Antony moved away while Malacia stayed at Carrington.
• The player attempted to move during January under interim manager Michael Carrick, but due to injuries at United, this idea did not come true.
• The player played only as a late substitute against Newcastle in December and March and had his final appearance at Brighton in May.
• Now the player is playing for FC Cincinnati after having left Manchester United with the end of his contract.

FC United of Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 24, 2026 — Former Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia has criticised the treatment he received under Ruben Amorim, saying he was excluded from the first-team group without being told why.

As reported by BBC Sport’s chief football news reporter, Malacia said he remained unaware of the reasoning behind his placement in the club’s so-called “bomb squad”. “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,” he said.

The Dutch defender said he chose to continue working rather than protest. “I just kept working and doing my thing even though it was difficult sometimes training in a group of five,” he told BBC Sport.

Malacia’s comments were also reported by Goal, the Manchester Evening News, the Mirror and The Sun, all citing his interview with BBC Sport.

Why was Malacia training away from the first team?

Malacia was among the players United said would train separately from Amorim’s senior squad before the 2025-26 season. BBC Sport reported that Malacia, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony were told they could leave if a suitable offer arrived.

According to BBC Sport, sources said Malacia was not disruptive or a bad influence, and it was never clear what he had done wrong.

Malacia said the other players eventually moved on, leaving him isolated. “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,” he said.

Goal reported that he was grouped with Rashford, Antony, Garnacho and Sancho as part of Amorim’s overhaul of the squad.

How did Malacia describe the mental impact?

Malacia described the period as difficult, particularly after he was left training alone or with younger age groups. “It’s tough. It’s tough mentally,” he said in the BBC Sport interview.

He said he considered not attending training but decided against it. “I could have said ‘OK, I’m not coming into training’. But I thought ‘that’s not going to help me’,” Malacia said.

He added that he did not want to provide a justification for his exclusion. “It’s a reason for them to say ‘this is the reason you are with them or training on your own’,” he told BBC Sport.

Malacia also said people outside the club did not know he had remained fit. “I always stayed fit since I came back from my injury, but people didn’t know that. They were like ‘why is he not playing?’,” he said.

Did Malacia try to leave Manchester United?

Yes. Malacia said he asked to leave in January after Michael Carrick took interim charge, but injuries at United meant the club needed squad numbers.

“I had a good conversation with Michael when he came,” Malacia told BBC Sport. “Obviously, I wanted to leave, then some injuries came so I couldn’t leave because of the numbers in the squad.”

He said the situation was hard to accept.

“I was like ‘I’m not going to play but I’m not allowed to leave so what’s the point of me staying here’. Then he explained to me,”

Malacia said.

Goal reported that Amorim briefly reintegrated Malacia into matchday squads in late November, shortly before the manager departed in the New Year.

What was Malacia’s Manchester United record?

Malacia joined United from Feyenoord in 2022. BBC Sport reported the fee as £13m, while Goal reported it as £14.6m.

He made 39 appearances in all competitions during his first season under Erik ten Hag, which BBC Sport described as his high point at Old Trafford.

Injuries then disrupted his United career. BBC Sport reported that he underwent two major knee operations and was sidelined for about 18 months before returning in November 2024.

He made eight appearances before joining PSV Eindhoven on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

BBC Sport reported that he returned to United’s matchday squad for the Brighton game on 25 October 2025 and was included in every matchday squad from 24 November onwards. He played two minutes against Newcastle on Boxing Day, five minutes in the return fixture at St James’ Park on 5 March, and made his farewell appearance at Brighton on 24 May.

What did Malacia say about his United exit?

Despite his criticism of the “bomb squad” period, Malacia said he does not regret joining United. “I wouldn’t regret anything, not one bit,” he told BBC Sport.

He said that, if he could repeat the experience, he would make the same choices. “Even if I could do it over, I would do the same thing because otherwise I wouldn’t be the man I am now,” he said.

Malacia also praised his first season at the club. “I had a great time in my first season and the people who worked there and the players I met there were amazing, so, nah, I really enjoyed my time,” he told BBC Sport.

Where is Tyrell Malacia now?

Malacia now plays for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer after leaving United as a free agent when his contract expired in the summer.

BBC Sport reported that his appearance in FC Cincinnati’s 2-1 win over DC United on 21 October was the first time he had started four successive matches since September 2022.

He said he is focused on playing regularly again. “As a football player you want to play. I’m able to do that now and consistently, so I’m happy,” he told BBC Sport.

Background of the development

Malacia’s difficulties at United began after a knee injury ended his promising first season. BBC Sport reported that he had felt discomfort in his left knee at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, underwent surgery in the Netherlands, and later required a second operation after the healing process did not go as planned.

He returned through the under-21 side in an EFL Trophy defeat at Huddersfield and hoped to rebuild his United career under Amorim, who had replaced Ten Hag.

Malacia said Amorim gave him a few games after his return, but argued that a player coming back after 18 months needed time to adapt. “Imagine not playing for a year and a half and adapting to everything, especially in the best league in the world and playing for such a big club. It takes time,” he told BBC Sport.

In July 2025, Amorim said players including Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Malacia could still have a future at United, while adding that some players needed to find a new place to have space in the team, as reported by Sky Sports.

Goal later reported that Amorim said the “bomb squad” players needed to take responsibility for securing their own exits before the transfer window closed.

Prediction: what it means for Manchester United fans

For Manchester United supporters, Malacia’s account is likely to renew attention on how the club handled players who were excluded from Amorim’s first-team plans. His comments do not establish who made the decision, but they highlight the uncertainty faced by a player who said he received no explanation.

For United fans, the immediate sporting impact is limited because Malacia has already left and joined FC Cincinnati. However, the episode may shape debate around squad management, player welfare and the club’s handling of transfer-bound players during periods of managerial change.

For Malacia, the development could help rebuild his reputation as a committed professional who continued training despite a difficult situation. His focus now is on regular football in MLS and helping FC Cincinnati push for the play-offs, with BBC Sport reporting that the club are eighth in the Eastern Conference with four regular-season matches remaining.