Tyrell Malacia’s journey back to full fitness has been nothing short of grueling.
The Manchester United defender has spent nearly 18 months on the sidelines due to a series of setbacks that have tested both his physical and mental fortitude. After a promising start to his Old Trafford career following his £12.9 million move from Feyenoord in 2022, the 25-year-old’s future seemed bright. But an injury-ravaged period has kept him out of action since the final match of the 2022-23 season.
It all started in May 2023, when Malacia played his last game for United, a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford. His performance was a solid one, playing the full 90 minutes, but little did he know that it would be his last appearance for the club for a long while. Malacia had a tear in his left meniscus, an injury that required immediate surgery in the summer to address the damage. However, things soon took a turn for the worse. After the initial procedure, complications arose, including inflammation around the knee, leading to a second surgery to remove fragments of cartilage.
For any player, such a sequence of setbacks would be frustrating, but Malacia took it in stride. “I had to start my rehab over, basically. I had one day to be disappointed and then I had to be like, ‘OK, we go again,'” he reflected in a candid interview with The Athletic. His mental resilience has been tested, but it’s also been key to his recovery process.
The injury has been a long and challenging journey, one that has required patience and adaptability. As Malacia continued his rehabilitation, it became clear that the typical medical support at United was not enough to accelerate his recovery. The club was dealing with a large number of injuries in the squad at the time, and the resources to provide individual care for the Dutch full-back were stretched thin. Malacia’s solution? Seeking additional treatment from specialists in the Netherlands and Spain.
Malacia explained: “We had a lot of injuries, and my injury needed a lot of attention. So with the medical part, at some point, we decided, ‘OK, you need some extra people around you to help you, to be there working with you every day to focus only on you.'” He spent part of his rehabilitation with medical teams in Barcelona and the Netherlands, where he received focused care from professionals dedicated to his recovery. It was a necessary move to ensure that Malacia would be ready to return to action.
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The nature of his injury required constant attention, and despite the challenges of juggling rehab with United’s ongoing squad crisis, Malacia is now finally approaching full fitness. After months of slow but steady progress, he made a significant step forward by playing 45 minutes for Manchester United’s Under-21s in a match against Huddersfield earlier this week. It marked the first competitive minutes for Malacia in well over a year, and a key moment in his comeback.
Malacia’s commitment to returning to full fitness has been unwavering. Reflecting on his recovery process, he admitted: “At the end of the day, we want to do everything right, at the right time. We don’t want to rush into things. It is going well, very well, now—step by step. Maybe it went a little bit too quickly before, so we’ve learned from that.” This approach has been a significant change from the initial rush to get back on the field, which he believes may have contributed to some earlier setbacks in his recovery.
Looking back, Malacia maintains that despite the difficulties, he has learned valuable lessons. “I think at the end of the day, everything I did, even if it was a mistake or something, I won’t even see it as a mistake because it’s a lesson,” he said, emphasizing his philosophical approach to his recovery. “I think everything in life is already written for me. I had to go through this whole process to be where I’m at now, so I wouldn’t do anything different.”
For Malacia, this injury nightmare hasn’t just been physical; it’s been a mental battle, one that has tested his patience and resolve. But despite the frustration, he has never considered giving up. “Of course, I’ve had some moments where I was like, ‘Oh, I’m getting tired of this.’ But there’s no way I could ever give up. It’s not my system, it’s not in our family,” he explained, underscoring his belief in the importance of perseverance.
The lack of updates from Manchester United during Malacia’s absence only fueled rumors and wild speculation. Fans and media outlets began to conjure up conspiracy theories, with some even suggesting that Malacia had mysteriously vanished, while others went so far as to speculate on bizarre scenarios involving the royal family. Malacia was quick to dismiss these outlandish rumors, saying, “No, nothing was true. No, no. I’ve just been doing my rehab. Especially when I was in Holland, I was close to my family—so just training, family, sleeping; training, family, sleeping. The only thing I’ve done.”
His commitment to rehab and recovery, with minimal distractions, has helped him reach this point. United’s medical team and coaching staff have been cautious, ensuring that Malacia is reintegrated into full team training slowly to avoid re-aggravating his knee problem. This cautious approach has delayed his return to competitive action, but it’s been necessary to ensure he’s fully fit for the long term.
Malacia’s absence from the first team has been felt by both the player and the club. His expected return at the start of the 2024 season was one of the reasons United decided to cut Sergio Reguilon’s loan short. With Luke Shaw also sidelined with injury, Malacia’s reintegration into the squad is vital, especially as United navigates a demanding schedule.
The defender’s first season at Old Trafford was a success, with Malacia making 39 appearances across all competitions and proving himself as a reliable option at left-back. His performances were a key part of United’s third-place finish in the Premier League and their successful Carabao Cup campaign. Now, as he nears a return to fitness, Malacia will be looking to build on those early successes and contribute once again to the team’s cause.
Malacia’s 18-month injury ordeal has not only been a personal challenge but has also served as a reminder of the physical demands placed on professional footballers. While setbacks are a part of the sport, his journey back to full fitness is a testament to his resilience and determination. As Malacia looks to regain his place in the first team, Manchester United fans will be hoping that their £12.9 million investment can quickly get back to his best and help provide the defensive solidity that the club has been missing.
With Malacia’s return imminent, the Manchester United squad is about to get stronger. But for now, the 25-year-old will continue to focus on his recovery, ensuring that when he finally steps back onto the pitch, he will be ready to help the team fight for trophies in the second half of the 2024 season. The hard work and patience shown over the past 18 months will hopefully pay off as Malacia aims to leave the injury woes behind and rediscover the form that made him a standout player in his first season at Old Trafford.
