Youri Tielemans has joined Manchester United after the club triggered a £35m release clause with Aston Villa in July. This move marks the third time United had shown interest in the Belgium midfielder, following previous considerations in 2019 and 2022. Tielemans signed a five-year deal with the Old Trafford outfit.
Tielemans reflected on the previous approaches, stating that while he had spoken with the club twice before, nothing materialised. He remained focused on his football and his national team duties during the World Cup, noting that he was aware of the release clause. He expressed gratitude to Aston Villa, acknowledging their role in his return to top form, but recognised Manchester United as a step up.
The midfielder made his professional debut for Anderlecht at 16. He has played many career appearances for club and country. He recently experienced a hamstring issue during the warm-up before Belgium‘s World Cup quarter-final against Spain in July, which led to him pulling out of the match.
Despite this, Tielemans stated he feels well and does not believe he requires frequent rest. He attributed the recent issue to an overload of games and minutes, particularly after playing 120 minutes against Senegal, followed by matches against the US and then Spain within a short period. He indicated that his body “switched off” during the warm-up for the Spain game due to this intensity.
Adjusting to Manchester United
Tielemans has been integrating with the United squad during their pre-season tour, making his first appearance in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg. He described adjusting to manager Michael Carrick‘s vision as natural, akin to “smelling football.”
He noted that Carrick’s structure involves wanting possession and pressing in specific ways. While these methods might differ from what he was accustomed to, Tielemans views them as logical. He believes that by following these principles, he can effectively contribute his offensive qualities, particularly in the final third, without compromising defensive stability.
A partnership with captain Bruno Fernandes appears to be developing, with club officials observing their connection during the match against Paris Saint-Germain, despite them only being on the pitch together for 26 minutes. Tielemans described their interplay as “really natural,” aiming to find Fernandes in space to allow him to advance.
Familiar Faces and Future Goals
Tielemans is finding familiar faces at Manchester United, including former Leicester teammate Jonny Evans, who provided a positive character reference to Carrick. He also briefly played with Harry Maguire at Leicester.
Tielemans praised Rashford’s humility, hard work, and natural talent, noting his “amazing” touch and acceleration, which he hopes Rashford can bring to United. Tielemans’ arrival is seen as addressing Manchester United‘s need for a scheming midfielder who can break defensive lines, a role previously filled by Carrick before his retirement in 2018.
This move is expected to provide Fernandes with more advanced positioning and allow United to control games more effectively, moving beyond their recent reputation for excelling on the counter-attack. Tielemans’ aim is to bring goals to Manchester United, following his successful scoring contributions in the 2021 FA Cup final for Leicester and the opener for Villa in their Europa League triumph in May.
Tielemans had a brief discussion with Carrick before finalising his transfer, and the past 10 days have offered him insight into Carrick’s expectations, which include being “free on the pitch” and organising the team as effectively as possible.
Source: bbc.com