Youri Tielemans, the man who scored Leicester City's FA Cup final winner and later fired Aston Villa to Europa League glory, is a Manchester United player. The 29-year-old Belgian midfielder has joined on a five-year deal after United triggered a £35m release clause in his Villa contract.
Tielemans becomes United's third signing of a summer that has already brought in midfielder Andrey Santos and goalkeeper Karl Darlow, while a move for Atalanta's Ederson has been put on hold. The arrival of Tielemans directly addresses the void left by Casemiro, whose contract expired at the end of the season – and the new man will wear the Brazilian's old number 18 shirt.
“Manchester United complete £35m signing of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa on a five-year deal.”
"It's hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United," Tielemans said. "Signing for such a special club feels incredible. It is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football."
United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, added: "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."
Tielemans arrived in England at Leicester in 2019 and spent three seasons at Villa before making the move to Old Trafford. He has amassed 668 games for club and country despite still being in his 20s, scoring 79 goals from 578 club appearances. At the World Cup in Qatar, he scored a memorable 89th-minute equaliser against Senegal and converted an extra-time penalty winner, but his tournament ended prematurely when he was injured in the warm-up before Belgium's quarter-final defeat to Spain.
Last season, calf and ankle problems restricted him to 35 appearances in all competitions for Villa – his lowest campaign total since moving to England. United, however, are betting on his recovery and experience. And with Kobbie Mainoo expected to be the cornerstone of new head coach Michael Carrick's double-pivot, there remains a need for a more powerful, energetic presence in midfield.
According to reports, United are now turning their attention to France international Manu Kone, who could be available for as little as £45m. The 25-year-old, who shone for France at the World Cup before their semi-final exit, has become essential at Roma after moving from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Roma's desperate financial predicament means a sale appears inevitable, and United – having already moved quickly after Belgium's World Cup exit to sign Tielemans – may now do the same for Kone.
If United secure a third midfielder, it would round out a rebuilt engine room. For now, Tielemans – the man who scored an extra-time Europa League final winner for Villa against Freiburg in May – is the headline act.