Youri Tielemans finally completes Manchester United move after two failed approaches

Posted : 12 August 2026

Youri Tielemans has finally completed his long-awaited move to Manchester United after the club made two unsuccessful attempts to sign him in previous years. The Belgium midfielder joined from Aston Villa in July for around £35 million and signed a contract running until June 2031.

United first considered Tielemans in 2019, when he was impressing during his loan spell at Leicester City. The club returned for him in 2022, but their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong meant the opportunity passed once again.

The third attempt proved decisive. While Tielemans was representing Belgium at the 2026 World Cup, United activated the release clause in his Aston Villa contract and secured his signature. The 29-year-old admitted he had not expected the transfer to happen and had remained focused on performing for his country.

Tielemans leaves Villa after three productive seasons in which he became an important figure for the club. He made 134 appearances and helped them win the Europa League, scoring a spectacular goal in the final against Freiburg. His performances also earned him both the Players' Player and Supporters' Player of the Season awards for 2024-25.

The midfielder believes joining United represents another major step in his career. However, he insists the transfer is not the culmination of his ambitions and wants to help the club compete for major honours.

Tielemans has already begun adapting to life at Old Trafford and appears to be developing a natural understanding with captain Bruno Fernandes. He believes Fernandes' ability to find space complements his own passing range and could become an important feature of United's midfield under Michael Carrick.

His arrival is part of a significant midfield rebuild at United, with Andrey Santos also joining during the summer. Tielemans brings considerable experience after making his professional debut for Anderlecht at just 16 and accumulating hundreds of appearances for club and country.

The Belgian also reflected on the physical demands of his recent international schedule. He missed Belgium's World Cup quarter-final against Spain after suffering an issue during the warm-up, explaining that his body had struggled after a heavy run of matches.

Despite that setback, Tielemans says he feels ready for the new campaign. His immediate focus is now on establishing himself at Manchester United and helping Carrick's side build a successful team.

Youri Tielemans finally completes Manchester United move after two failed approaches

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