Toby Collyer Joins West Brom After Manchester United Exit

Toby Collyer has chosen West Brom – and a permanent exit from Manchester United – at the end of a tug-of-war that swung back and forth across the Championship.

The 22-year-old midfielder is set to join the Baggies in a deal worth an initial £3m, with the total package rising to £7.6m once add-ons are triggered. United have also secured a hefty 40% sell-on clause, a clear sign they still believe there is significant value in his future.

This was not a straightforward decision. Collyer had been weighing up offers from both West Brom and Hull City, the two clubs where he spent last season on loan. At one stage, West Brom looked nailed on. Then Hull surged into pole position and appeared ready to close it out.

James Morrison changed that.

The West Brom boss is understood to have been central in convincing Collyer to return to The Hawthorns. The midfielder’s game time was restricted by injury during the first half of last season, but he did enough in those spells on the pitch to impress Morrison and his staff. That impression has now turned into a long-term commitment.

For Collyer, the calculation was simple in the end: minutes. The promise of a bigger role and increased playing time at West Brom is thought to have been decisive, tipping the balance away from Hull and back towards the Midlands.

A year ago he was fighting for a pathway at Old Trafford. Now he walks into a Championship side where the expectation is clear – this is no longer a loan audition. It’s his team to break into, his move to justify, and his career to drive from the heart of West Brom’s midfield.