In a recent interview with British media, Manchester United's Tielemans discussed his transfer this summer. He expressed his gratitude towards his former club, Aston Villa, but acknowledged that Manchester United offers a significantly bigger platform.
Tielemans has finally completed his third attempted move to Manchester United.
As early as 2019, Tielemans caught Manchester United's attention during his loan spell at Leicester City. In 2022, Manchester United again considered signing the Belgian midfielder, but that pursuit stalled as the club waited to see whether Frenkie de Jong would leave Barcelona.
It wasn't until July this year that Tielemans finally received an official offer from Manchester United. The club activated the £35 million release clause in his Aston Villa contract, signing the 29-year-old midfielder on a five-year deal.
"I had spoken to the club twice before, but nothing materialized," Tielemans recalled.
"This time I remained very calm. To be honest, I didn't expect anything to happen this summer. I was focused on my football and the World Cup, hoping to perform at my best for my country."
"But you know, things can change in any transfer window, and I knew there was a release clause in my contract."
On leaving Aston Villa for Manchester United, Tielemans expressed his appreciation for his former club.
"I am very grateful to Aston Villa—I owe them everything. It's a fantastic club, we achieved excellent results there, and they helped restore me to my best."
"But there are certain platforms bigger than Villa, and Manchester United is one of them."
"For any footballer, joining here is a tremendous honour. It signals that you've had a successful career. But this is just the beginning—I want to succeed here."
Partnership with Bruno Fernandes developing
Tielemans has appeared at ease during Manchester United's training camp, and his understanding with captain Bruno Fernandes is already beginning to emerge.
In Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, the pair featured together for only 26 minutes, yet the club's hierarchy has already observed their chemistry.
Tielemans said that playing alongside Bruno Fernandes feels very natural.
"He's a player who finds space effortlessly. I simply need to locate him and let him continue driving forward."
Tielemans previously played with Jonny Evans at Leicester City, and the two remain close. Evans also spoke highly of his former teammate to Manchester United manager Michael Carrick.
Additionally, Tielemans briefly played with Harry Maguire and featured alongside Rashford during his time at Aston Villa.
Tielemans also praised Rashford's resurgence at Manchester United.
"He's been outstanding. There's been considerable discussion about him, lots of pressure and media attention, but he's performed brilliantly."
"He's very humble and works extremely hard. From the first training session, you could see his technical ability and explosive pace are exceptional. That's precisely what we needed. He's delivering consistently, and I hope he can maintain that here."
Carrick wants Tielemans to play with freedom
Tactically, Tielemans' arrival may fill a significant gap Manchester United has lacked in recent years—a midfielder capable of orchestrating attacks, finding passing lanes, and breaking down defences with incisive passing.
In theory, his presence could give Bruno Fernandes greater freedom in the final third while improving Manchester United's possession control and game management.
Tielemans revealed that he had a brief conversation with Carrick before the transfer was finalized, and the past ten days of training have provided deeper insight into the new manager's tactical philosophy.
"He wants me to be free on the pitch and help organize play for the team."
"He has a clear tactical structure. He wants us to control possession and press in a specific way."
"This might differ from what I'm accustomed to, but I think these are entirely reasonable demands."
"Ultimately, it's about reading the game. I've been doing that since my time at Anderlecht."
"For me, nothing has fundamentally changed. It's just about everything gradually clicking into place."
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vomabklnou
1
At least you secured your retirement village team
juhdelmpsy
0
Go LUck for your future 🤞