Tielemans’ move to Old Trafford and initial comments
Youri Tielemans, the Belgium midfielder, has issued an apology to Aston Villa fans following remarks he made suggesting that Manchester United is a larger club. Tielemans joined Manchester United this summer on a five-year deal after the club activated a release clause of £35m in his contract with Aston Villa.
His transfer to Old Trafford came after three years at Villa Park, where he made 134 appearances and scored 10 goals. Tielemans had moved to Aston Villa from Leicester City in 2023. During United’s pre-season tour, Tielemans credited Aston Villa with helping him regain his best form, but then stated, “But there are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them.”
These comments caused some dissatisfaction among Aston Villa supporters, prompting Tielemans to address the situation on social media. He clarified that his words were not intended to offend anyone or the institution of Aston Villa Football Club, for which he expressed significant respect and gratitude for his three years there.
Tielemans acknowledged his error in choosing his words and apologised, promising to be more careful in the future. He also extended his best wishes to the club. His move to Manchester United was finalised in July, with his contract running until 2031.
Integration and injury concerns
Tielemans has described his adjustment to Michael Carrick’s tactical vision at Manchester United as straightforward, likening it to “smelling football.” The 29-year-old midfielder, who debuted for Anderlecht at 16, has been integrating with the United squad during their pre-season tour over the past 10 days. He made his first appearance in a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on Saturday.
Having left Belgium for Monaco in 2017, then joining Leicester in 2019 before signing with Aston Villa four years later, Tielemans has accumulated 579 career appearances. He noted that Carrick’s structure, which emphasises ball possession and specific pressing, aligns with his understanding of football. He believes these principles are logical and allow players to add offensive qualities, particularly in the final third, while maintaining defensive discipline.
Last season, Tielemans was limited to 25 starts in the Premier League due to injuries, including separate calf and ankle problems. He also sustained a hamstring issue during the warm-up before Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final against Spain in July. Despite these recent injury concerns and 13 years of playing in midfield, Tielemans does not believe Carrick will need to rest him frequently.
He explained that the intense schedule during the World Cup, including a 120-minute match against Senegal before playing the US and then Spain with limited rest, contributed to his body shutting down. Tielemans stated that he does not typically require rest and will alert the manager if he feels unwell, though this is uncommon.
Previous interest and future outlook
Manchester United had reportedly shown interest in signing Tielemans on two previous occasions, in 2019 and 2022. Tielemans confirmed that he had spoken with the club twice before, but those discussions did not lead to a transfer at the time. He remained calm about the situation, noting that these conversations occurred well after his time at Anderlecht.
When Manchester United triggered his release clause this summer, Tielemans was unaware of any other clubs competing for his signature. He described signing for United as the culmination of years of dedication since he first developed a passion for football, calling it an incredible feeling to join such a special club.
Tielemans helped Belgium reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup this summer. Before the new Premier League campaign commences next weekend, Manchester United is scheduled to play AC Milan, while Aston Villa will face Borussia Monchengladbach in their final pre-season matches on Saturday.
Source: bbc.com
