Tyrell Malacia joins FC Cincinnati

Manchester United’s recruitment departments have produced a steady stream of Dutch talent over the years, with the club’s relationship with Eredivisie football running deeper than most supporters realise.

Erik ten Hag’s arrival in 2022 brought a wave of signings from his homeland, several of whom struggled to make the impact once hoped for at Old Trafford.

Squad depth at left-back specifically has been a recurring headache for successive United managers, stretching back well before the current campaign’s difficulties.

One name from that era has remained a peripheral figure in United conversations ever since his departure in the summer, periodically resurfacing whenever his career takes a fresh twist.

Tyrell Malacia joined United from Feyenoord in 2022 as Erik ten Hag’s first-ever signing at Old Trafford, and made an instant impression, playing 39 matches across all competitions in his debut season and helping the club win the EFL Cup.

Pre-season disaster struck the following year, when a knee injury required surgery and kept him out for what became a staggering 18 months, with further procedures needed along the way and the defender at one stage placed in United’s so-called “bomb squad” of players frozen out of first-team plans.

His long-awaited return finally came in November 2024, starting against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League under new head coach Ruben Amorim after 550 days without a senior appearance.

That comeback proved short-lived, and Tyrell Malacia has now been training on trial with FC Cincinnati as he searches for a new club having left United as a free agent last summer.

The Major League Soccer side have been careful to stress that the 27-year-old is currently only training with the group, with manager Pat Noonan on the lookout for additional defensive options.

A club statement read, as relayed by Algemeen Dagblad, “FC Cincinnati has a good relationship with Malacia’s agent; training with the team is an opportunity for both parties to see if they are a good fit.”

Malacia’s return under Amorim yielded just seven further appearances before he was sent out on loan to PSV Eindhoven in February 2025, following the club’s deadline-day signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce that effectively ended any hope of a recall.

His half-season in Eindhoven brought a domestic title as PSV won the Eredivisie, though the Dutch champions ultimately chose not to make the move permanent.

He returned to Old Trafford last July, only to be given no prospect of a new contract by Michael Carrick despite a handful of late appearances, and he departed as a free agent once his deal expired.

Malacia also had a brief taste of Premier League action against Newcastle on Boxing Day last year, one of several unlikely reappearances during a season that ultimately did little to change his standing at the club.

Cincinnati currently sit in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, and a move to MLS would offer Malacia the kind of regular football that has eluded him for the better part of three years.