Young Man Utd duo who were criticised by former boss Ruben Amorim set to leave Old Trafford on Championship loans

Midfielder Collyer is on the verge of sealing an imminent switch to Hull City, a move that offers a chance at redemption following a frustrating first half of the season. The 22-year-old had been on loan at West Brom but saw his progress stalled by a groin injury and a lack of selection, a situation that drew public criticism from former United boss Amorim in December.

Amorim, who was sacked earlier this month, had highlighted Collyer’s struggles as an example of the difficulties United's academy graduates were facing in bridging the gap to senior football. Speaking candidly about the midfielder’s situation just weeks before his own departure, Amorim did not mince his words regarding the futility of a loan spell where a player remains on the sidelines.

“I’m always talking about the same thing, Toby [Collyer] and this injury is returning here,” Amorim said in December. “He played, he’s from the academy, he played here, went to West Bromwich, he’s not playing.”

Defending his use of young players in the first-team, he accused the academy products of being "entitled", saying: “We don't need to be always with accolades in everything in every situation, we are not helping. That's why when you guys talk about a lot of players nowadays that they go against the clubs and everything happened because they feel entitlement. .. I think it's something in our club, and we talk about the players sometimes forget about what it means to play for Manchester United. We as a club sometimes forget who we are and that's that's the feeling that I have. I understand everything is the environment, is the moment of the players, the kids they feel entitled."

The move to Hull City presents a completely different challenge and environment for Collyer. Unlike his stint at the Hawthorns, he joins a Tigers side firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion. Hull currently sit fourth in the Championship table, just three points adrift of second-placed Ipswich Town. If Collyer can shake off the groin issue that has kept him out since November and break into the side, he could play a pivotal role in a Premier League promotion push.

While Collyer struggled for minutes, 18-year-old left-back Amass enjoyed a far more productive, albeit strange, first half of the campaign. Amass spent the opening months of the season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, where he became a fan favourite. He made 21 appearances, scored one goal, and notably picked up two Player of the Month awards, showcasing the high ceiling that saw him make his senior United debut in March 2025.

Despite his individual success at Hillsborough, Amass returned to Carrington recently and has been awaiting his next step. He is now set to join Norwich City, a club operating at the other end of the table from Collyer’s new side. The Canaries are entrenched in a battle for survival but received a massive boost on Tuesday night with a five-goal victory over West Brom - Collyer’s former loan club - which lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Amass had attracted interest from several other Championship sides, but the opportunity to secure regular football at Carrow Road appears to have won out. His task will be to provide defensive solidity and attacking flair to a team desperate to distance themselves from the bottom three.

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These moves come at a critical juncture for United’s player pathway management. The criticism from Amorim regarding the efficacy of the loan system has evidently led to a reshuffle, ensuring that the club’s brightest talents are placed in environments where they are not just making up the numbers.

Collyer, who made 13 appearances for the United first team last season under both Erik ten Hag and Amorim, is viewed as a player with significant pedigree. However, at 22, the need for weekly competitive football is paramount. Sitting in the treatment room or on the bench at West Brom was benefiting neither the player nor his parent club.

Similarly, Amass features heavily in United’s long-term thinking. Having broken into the first-team setup under Amorim towards the end of the previous season - featuring seven times in the closing months - his development is seen as a priority. The decision to move him from Sheffield Wednesday to Norwich suggests United are meticulously curating his exposure to different tactical demands and pressure situations in the second tier.

For both players, the next six months are definitive. Collyer must prove his fitness and ability to influence games at the top end of the Championship, putting the memory of his stalled West Brom stint and Amorim’s harsh words behind him. For Amass, the challenge is consistency; proving that his excellent form at Sheffield Wednesday was not a flash in the pan and that he can adapt quickly to a new club fighting for its life.

With a new era dawning at Old Trafford following Amorim’s exit, both players will be keenly aware that their performances in the Championship will be monitored closely by the incoming hierarchy. Success at Hull and Norwich could be the ticket back into the first-team fold for the 2026-27 campaign.