What Bruno Fernandes has said about Toby Collyer will excite West Brom fans
Toby Collyer looks set to become West Brom’s latest signing this transfer window.
The Manchester United midfielder made his professional debut last season and went on to play 13 times in the first team.
Now, West Brom are looking to sign the youngster on loan to help improve their options in midfield.
The Baggies have been searching for a new midfielder throughout the transfer window, and now Ryan Mason has seemingly got his wish.
Bruno Fernandes: Toby Collyer has big qualities
On 14 August, The Athletic confirmed that West Brom and Manchester United were in advanced talks to sign Collyer, with the structure of the deal agreed.
This comes just hours after news broke that West Brom were set to sign Krystian Bielik from Birmingham City.
The midfielder is highly rated at Old Trafford and has received high praise from multiple players, including captain Bruno Fernandes.
Speaking after Man United’s 2-1 victory over Rangers, where Collyer started the match, the Portuguese international claimed that the midfielder is “class” after a good performance.
- Collyer played 11 times for Man United last season
- This includes two starts, both coming in the Europa League
He told MUTV on 24 January: “Toby is a great kid, he’s a great example of a professional.
“He’s a great example of someone who comes from the Academy and knows his place, knows how much he wants to get into the positions of other players where they are. He trains very well every week, he trains at the maximum level every time.
“He’s a really good kid who wants to learn. He’s eager to learn, he’s eager to listen. He has big, big qualities – he’s aggressive off the ball, he’s aggressive running with the ball, he’s class in tight spaces.
“This is just the first few games that he’s getting in; he’s just going to get better.”
How good is Collyer?
In an otherwise poor season for Man United, Collyer was one of the few positives.
According to WhoScored on 14 August, the midfielder had the 14th highest rating for the Red Devils last campaign at 6.55 despite his limited minutes.
This is thanks to multiple impressive statistics that have helped him stand out in the squad.
| Toby Collyer stats per 90 minutes last season | |
| Passing completion | 86.8% |
| Key passes | 0.2 |
| Long balls | 0.3 |
| Tackles | 1.4 |
| Interceptions | 0.5 |
| Clearances | 0.3 |
Now, with the midfielder taking a step down in terms of quality to join the Baggies, Collyer will surely be even better.
Hopefully, Mason is able to get the best out of the 21-year-old to help with West Brom’s push into the Premier League.
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