Utd's forgotten wonderkid opens up on transfer 'mess' after Mourinho promises

Ex-Manchester United youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah remains confident of finding a club despite last playing in April 2023 at Bayer Leverkusen and being a free agent for 12 months

It's no surprise to hear footballer's are shopped around to clubs. It may not even be a surprise to know it happens without their knowledge.

But that parties players don't even know are attempting to speak to clubs on their behalf, indicates the opportunism present sometimes in the transfer market. Former Manchester United youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah has learned as much in his year without a club.

The 27-year-old, who first made his name with the Red Devils under Louis van Gaal, last played for Bayer Leverkusen in April 2023 before leaving the club the following year having failed to make an appearance in their title-winning season under Xabi Alonso. And following that Fosu-Mensah has spent 12 months as a free agent and learned about a new aspect of the footballing world.

The defender has experienced plenty of difficulties in his career. The Dutchman has been impacted by managerial changes — Van Gaal was replaced by Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford who spoke of 'great potential” and promised 'plenty of opportunities' before offering just one Premier League start in a season — seen a loan opportunity end via a horrific cruciate ligament injury and most recently failed to find a club after being shown the door by Leverkusen.

And as a result of that final blow, Fosuh-Mensah has found himself the subject of agent talks despite never coming into contact with the representatives himself. It's a situation that he has deemed a 'mess'

"There was a couple of situations with agents here and there, which was a bit of a mess," he said. "People were speaking on my name who I never even had contact with.

"I would say like 80 per cent of the agents who were approaching clubs and people I didn’t even know, who I didn’t even had contact with. I think that was a big mess."

That period included talks with Championship clubs. “Some of them I was aware of, some of them I wasn’t,” Fosu-Mensah added.

The defender, who saw spells on loan with Crystal Palace and Fulham while at United, has spent time training with boyhood Ajax in recent months to ensure fitness. And despite his experiences, is confident he will find a new team to represent.

“Last season was the first time in my career that I’ve spent without a team,” Fosu-Mensah said. “At this age it’s quite early and I think quite strange for people.

“I know I’ve been working hard and hard work won’t go unnoticed. That’s what I believe.

“If you stay at home, you do nothing and then you think ‘boom, OK, I’m going to go this club or that club’, no, that’s not how it works, that’s not my mentality. It’s definitely a fresh start and I’ve been working hard.”