Youri Tielemans described his move to Manchester United as "incredible" after the club activated his £35m release clause, making the Belgium midfielder their third signing of the summer. The 29-year-old has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, where he will wear the number 18 shirt vacated by Casemiro.
Tielemans arrives with a pedigree forged in decisive moments: he scored Leicester City's winner in the 2021 FA Cup final and Aston Villa's Europa League final triumph over Freiburg in May. For Belgium, he struck a memorable 89th-minute equaliser against Senegal at the World Cup and later converted an extra-time penalty to seal a 3-2 win. His tournament ended prematurely when he was injured in the warm-up before the quarter-final defeat by Spain.
“Manchester United sign Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m on a five-year deal.”
Last season, Tielemans was restricted to 35 appearances in all competitions for Villa after separate calf and ankle problems — his lowest campaign total since moving to England. But United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, said: "Youri has consistently been one of the most outstanding midfielders in the Premier League throughout the past seven years. He has all of the technical qualities, as well as the ambition and mentality, to thrive at Manchester United."
Wilcox's confidence extends beyond a single signing. With Michael Carrick preparing for his first full season after guiding United back to the Champions League, the club are building a squad deep enough to compete on all four fronts. "The results speak for themselves, with United picking up the highest points tally in the Premier League since he returned to the club," Wilcox said. "We can all be proud of the winning culture that is developing at Carrington as we continue to build a talented and determined group of players ready to compete across all four competitions."
Tielemans follows midfielder Andrey Santos and goalkeeper Karl Darlow through the door, while a move for Atalanta's Ederson has been put on hold. United's Academy also impressed last season, with four first-team debuts and finals in the FA Youth Cup and other national competitions. "You can sense the anticipation across the club for another exciting season ahead," Wilcox added. "I hope that you are all also looking forward to the return of special European nights for our men's team at Old Trafford."
Tielemans, who made his senior debut for Anderlecht aged 16 and has amassed 668 club and country appearances, said: "It's hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United. Signing for such a special club feels incredible. It is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football."