Manchester United on Tuesday completed a 15 15 million deal with Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malaysia from Feyenoord.
Malaysia, 22, is the first arrival under new manager Eric Ten Hague, but it is clear he has been on the radar for some time. How will the defender adapt to the Premier League and what can fans expect from him?
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Where does he come from
Produced by Feyenoord Academy, Malaysia spent its days in the venerable Verkenord training package and signed its first contract in 2015 before being promoted to the first team in 2017. After joining the Netherlands youth team at the age of 15, the left-back quickly became known as a new and emerging talent, working through the ages of every national team and doing well at the European Under-21 Championships last summer. He made his debut for the Netherlands in September 2021.
Playing 136 first-team matches for Feyenoord with four goals and 10 assists, Malaysia made their Europa League debut against Napoli in 2017 at the age of 18 where they made enough of an impact to maintain a semi-regular place in the XI. The rest of the season. As a two-year student, he became a regular in the 2020-2021 season.
Status overview
Although he is known as a left-back – the top team in the Netherlands rarely tried and tested the “back four” at the youth level – Malaysia has the potential for potential success at the top of the pitch. Also in Feyenoord, he was primarily used in his preferred position, but also had a strange cameo as a wing-back or winger. Most importantly, he is an adaptive left-back, he often tries to exchange positions and break the opponent’s mark by scoring in the attacking space.
Probably
Over the past decade, high-profile European football has favored full-backs who play ball, who are calm and can run in the build-up phase – the former Manchester United left-back Daily Blind is a prime example – but more famous for his restraint, when Malaysia The game is at its center when it opens up space for exploitation to move forward. Always eager to lead – and proud of the speed with which he gets the ball back when he loses from a height on the pitch – the Dutchman has a skill set that is suitable not only for the Premier League but also for the football brand of Ten Hague. While the former Ajax coach wanted his defenders to be aggressive, active and able to move the ball forward, it should come as no surprise that Malaysia was an early target.
Despite playing as a left-back, Malaysia took 50 shots at Eredivisie last season, more than any other defender. In the Premier League, Man City’s Joao Cancello (81) and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (51) only improved rates and earned them a place in a prestigious company.
The Malaysian also has good vision and is able to take accurate passes from deep. Similarly, although he is more prone to finding combinations in the final third, he has shown himself to be able to outdo himself with a variety of techniques, be it the initial pinpoint ball or the smart cut-back pass of the goal line.
Kenneth Perez, an analyst at ESPN in the Netherlands, says Malaysia’s attitude is the main attraction of their game: “Because of their dynamism and positive attitude, it’s fun to watch.”
Weakness
Being an over-aggressive left-back often offers something, but there is clear evidence that a Rotterdam-born defender is making a good all-round left-back. “He’s definitely better at attacking than defending,” says Perez. “But I have to say that he’s improved a lot on the defensive side of his game – especially in the last year.”
The statistics support this. Last season, Malaysia won six times per game, 4.5 times during the 2020-2021 campaign. Compared to last season, Malaysia is also looking better in position, occupying dangerous areas and not being able to reach the ball in the transitional phase. However, its transformation into the physical form of the Premier League can be a problem, at least in the early months.
“Almost every player from Eredivisie to the Premier League struggles with the physical side of the game,” says Perez. “In the Netherlands, your choices are not based on your materiality but on your technical and strategic qualities.”
While having one leg is not uncommon or a major shortcoming for a modern full back, Malaysia can rely heavily on its strong left foot. This is most evident when he tries to get out of tight space. While his main strength is playing a fast, effective ball under pressure, his lack of confidence on his right side can put him in a somewhat unnatural position where he can easily land.
Where he sits
While Manchester United are showing every sign that they are being brought to Malaysia to compete for left-back slots with Luke Shaw and Alex Tales, he also offers options in the left midfield or wing. Just don’t expect a new arrival – and the first official signature of the Ten Hague era – to quickly become a first-team regular.
“Initially he looks like a good option for the show, which is not technically as good as Malaysia, but he has the physical strength, especially now that Manchester United control more than half of the competition. The goal should be to play in the game,” says Perez. It will be a great combination of ability, agility and creativity. “