Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia has recently come to the end of his first season at Old Trafford.
Malacia was Erik ten Hag's first signing at United last summer and went on to get respectable game time in his maiden campaign. The 23-year-old made 39 appearances after his move from Feyenoord.
The left-back was sometimes afforded chances in the team in place of Luke Shaw when the team was rotated, but also when the latter was given the chance in the heart of defence. Shaw added this string to his bow last season and was heavily relied upon towards the end of the campaign.
It came after the loss of Lisandro Martinez due to a fractured metatarsal. Shaw performed admirably in the centre-back role, while Victor Lindelof also stepped in to partner Raphael Varane.
READ MORE: Manchester United accept offer for Zidane Iqbal
It left club captain Harry Maguire as United's fifth-choice central defender. Varane, Martinez, Lindelof and now even Shaw are in front of him in the pecking order at the back.
United will have another busy season next campaign with their return to the Champions League. Varane is unlikely to be able to play three games in a week, so there will be times when he is rested. Martinez and Lindelof will likely remain ahead of Shaw in the centre-back pecking order.
The big defensive transfer question this summer at United will be around Maguire and if he moves on to pastures new. Though the emergence of Shaw at centre half offers an option, United could seek to sign a replacement if Maguire does depart.
Malacia made it clear last season that he wants to play as many games as he can and admitted it was difficult when he did not get minutes. But he vowed to always be ready to feature if called upon.
Speaking to Voetbalprimeur in December, Malacia said: “It is of course difficult when you are not allowed minutes. You keep hoping every game and you do your best at training.
"You try to support the team as much as possible, but it’s definitely difficult. I want to play every game, so yes, it’s definitely hard when you sit there for so many weeks and you don’t play.
"Sure, I’ve had a moment of I’m through for a while. But you always have to recover. You never know if you have to be there. You always have to be ready.”
Malacia will be seeking more game time next season, but whether that becomes a reality or not will depend on the action Ten Hag takes in the transfer market this summer. The response to any Maguire sale will be crucial to this.
Should Maguire not be replaced, then Shaw could well be called upon to fill in at centre-back when needed more often. That could well open the door for Malacia to get more opportunities at left-back.
But should Ten Hag take the decision to replace Maguire if he leaves, then that would mean Shaw would be not as urgently needed in the heart of defence and would be free to play more at left-back. That would surely impact Malacia's game time.
United's second-choice left-back will have aspirations of making more of a case to be first pick next season. But decisions made this summer will impact whether those opportunities will come or not with the frequency he desires.
A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here
