Aston94 said:
The fact they are wanting a loan that can be cancelled in January seems like good news for Malacia, no?
That and the fact that there is no option to buy is a good sign for Malacia. But he's still in a very precarious position, in my opinion. At the very least, there is now a 2nd LB to compete with for at least 4 months and if Sergio does well, I'm sure both he and United will want to make the move permanent even if there is no buy option. His contract ends in 2025 so purchasing him in June 2024 should, in theory, not be an expensive proposition.
If I had to bet, I would guess that Malacia is not a Manchester United player come August 31, 2024. Not necessarily because I think Sergio will impress...but more because it seems like United are edging closer to upgrading him and it's likely just a matter of time before they do. Your backup LB needs to be just as good as your primary LB when your primary LB is injury prone and also doubles as you 3rd CB.