Soccer
Third time’s the charm as Youri Tielemans makes long-awaited Man Utd move
It was third time lucky for Youri Tielemans when he joined Manchester United last month.
As a deal to buy Brazil midfielder Ederson stalled, the Red Devils activated a £35million release clause to sign Tielemans from Aston Villa – but the move might have happened years ago for a player previously linked with United several times.
United reportedly considered Tielemans in the summer of 2019 as his loan spell at Leicester from Monaco ended but he instead joined the Foxes permanently. Tielemans was linked with United again in both 2022 and 2023.
Speaking at United’s pre-season training camp in County Kildare, the Belgium international said there had been direct talks in the past.
“There have been two times that I spoke with the club, but it didn’t (come) to anything, so I was just very calm about it,” Tielemans said.
Asked if he thought his opportunity to join United had passed, Tielemans added: “No, listen, I am very calm about it. When a move comes up, then if it needs to happen, it will happen.
“At the times that I have been linked with the club before, it did not happen, but it is what it is. I just keep working, keep doing my thing on the pitch and then it happens.”
For United, Tielemans promises to be a deep-lying technician akin to his new manager Michael Carrick.
The Belgian said he had a brief conversation with the former England midfielder before joining and immediately enjoyed a “great connection”.
“He wants to have the ball, he wants to press in certain ways,” he said. “It might be different than what you are used to, what I have been used to before, but it is logical things in my opinion.
“It is just smelling football, and that is what I have been doing from when I was young at Anderlecht. For me, nothing changes, it just needs to gel together.”
If there has been a concern around Tielemans in some quarters, it has been about the number of miles on the clock for a player who made his Anderlecht debut aged 16 years, two months and 21 days.
He has made nearly 600 senior appearances since across spells with Monaco, Leicester and Villa, earning 90 caps for Belgium.
Tielemans admitted he finished this summer’s World Cup with a minor fitness issue, but denied he is anywhere near burned out.
“I do not think I am a player that I absolutely need a rest,” he said. “Obviously, there is a lot of games and the manager needs to manage the team, but when I am good, I am good.
“Unfortunately, my body is, when it does not go well, then I will know straight away and I will alert the manager, but it does not happen often.”
It may have been a long wait to reach Old Trafford, but Tielemans said his journey is far from over.
“I think it is a great achievement for any footballer to end up here,” he said. “It means you have done well in your career, that the club is following you, first of all, and then to end up here.
“But it does not end there. I just want to be successful, but it is a process.”
