Who is Tyrell Malacia? The Feyenoord star Man Utd have hijacked

FT Desk

• Updated: 5 Jul 2022 08:29 CDT
• 4 min read

Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia had appeared to be on his way to Lyon, having verbally agreed a transfer, but Man Utd hijacked the deal at the last second.

Man Utd officially announced the transfer on Tuesday, with the defender penning a four-year contract with the option of a further year.

With Luke Shaw injured and Alex Telles blowing hot and cold in his absence, Man Utd really need a player they can trust in the position - think Patrice Evra or Denis Irwin - and Malacia's performances with Feyenoord augur well.

Scouts had been flocking to the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam to watch the 22-year-old, and a big-money move was always going to happen this summer.

What position does Malacia play in?

Malacia is a full-back by trade who lines up on the left-hand side of coach Arne Slot's preferred 4-2-3-1 system. He has bags of skill though and can be used further forward, as he was when he made his Netherlands debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Montenegro last September.

How good is Malacia?

So good that Ten Hag already wanted to sign Malacia for Ajax last season, but the rivalry between the two Dutch giants made any such move difficult.

Malacia had a goal and five assists in all competitions for Feyenoord, and he played a key role as the 15-time Dutch champions reached the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League, only to lose to Roma.

He joined Feyenoord aged nine and has blossomed into a fan favourite at the De Kuip, with some calling him "the pitbull" due to his tenacious displays. Only Ten Hag's Ajax conceded fewer goals than Feyenoord domestically, and Malacia was a large part of the reason why, despite his tender years.

Eligible for Curacao and Suriname through his parents, Malacia was called into Louis van Gaal's Netherlands squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Norway, Montenegro and Turkey late last year, and after playing against Montenegro, he later featured in friendlies against Denmark and Germany, and the UEFA Nations League double-header versus Wales in June.

Former Man Utd man Daley Blind will have competition for his left-back spot at the FIFA World Cup this winter, unless of course Van Gaal plays them both, with Malacia the further forward of the two.

How much did Man Utd pay for Malacia?

Lyon were looking for a long-term solution at left-back and had appeared to have virtually closed a deal for Malacia.

However, Man Utd hijacked the deal at the last minute. They have paid €15m plus €2m in add-ons.

When does Malacia's contract expire?

Malacia's current contract with Man Utd is set to expire in June 2026 and there is the option of a further year.

How old is Malacia?

Malacia was born on 17 August 1999. He is 22.

What is Malacia's Instagram?

Tyrell Malacia's Instagram account has 70k followers as of July 2022.