 "Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim at a training session with his squad at the club's Carrington practice facility. Reuters")
Manchester United fans were in for a bit of a surprise ahead of their Premier League showdown against city rivals and title favourites Manchester City, with manager Ruben Amorim including Tyrell Malacia in the squad for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Dutch defender Malacia was part of United’s ‘bomb squad’ – a group of players which also includes Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho that had been sidelined after the dismal 2024-25 season, in which the 20-time English top-flight champions finished 15th on the league table.
Not only was the group excluded from the club’s pre-season tour, they have also been training separately from the main squad this summer. And while the other members of the so-called ‘bomb squad’ have been able to secure a move away from Old Trafford, either permanently or on loan, Malacia failed to attract enough interest during the summer transfer window .
Silver lining for Malacia?
Malacia’s inclusion in United’s squad, however, is a silver lining for the left-back, who now has a chance to redeem himself this season. The Dutchman’s last appearance for the Red Devils was against Romanian club FCSB in their final group-stage match of the 2024-25 Europa League.
United’s squad for the 2025-26 season, which is headlined by key summer signings Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens, has just 21 senior players.
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Amorim’s side, however, is bolstered by the presence of U-21 players such as Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, who don’t need to be included in the squad that is submitted to the Premier League.
As per Premier League rules, a club can include no more than 17 players who do not fulfill the ‘homegrown’ player criteria in their squad.
A homegrown player is defined as one who has been registered with a club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period of three entire seasons, or 36 months before his 21st birthday or the end of the season during which he turns 21.
Manchester United squad for the 2025-26 Premier League season
Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Senne Lammens, Dermot Mee.
Defenders: Rhys Bennett, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte.
Forwards: Amad, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee.
Homegrown players: Heaton, Mee, Bennett, Maguire, Shaw, Mount, Amad.