Max Taylor: Man Utd defender wins first senior call-up since chemotherapy

Taylor has been called up 12 months after having chemotherapy treatment for testicular cancer

Max Taylor could feature on Thursday (Getty)

Max Taylor has received his first call-up into Manchester United’s senior squad at the end of a year that started with him undergoing chemotherapy.

The 19-year-old was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year and in September returned to training for the first time in 11 months.

Taylor has made two appearances for Manchester United Under-23s since then, with the defender now included in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad heading to Kazakhstan for Thursday’s Europa League encounter with Astana.

“Obviously, Ole has given quite a few of us the opportunity to travel with the team and, hopefully, a few of us will get a game,” Taylor said on manutd.com.

“The position I was in this time last year, I was in my first few weeks where I had chemotherapy, I wouldn’t have thought, a year on, I’d be travelling with the first team.

“It doesn’t matter what the environment is like, just being out there is massive. It’s been a dream since I can remember ever kicking a ball – being a Manchester United first-team player.”