Manchester, Aug 12 (IANS) Manchester United’s new signing Youri Tielemans has revealed that he was not expecting to leave Aston Villa during the summer transfer window, admitting that his move to Old Trafford came as a surprise even to him.
Tielemans joined Manchester United on a five-year contract after the club activated his £35 million release clause, bringing an end to his three-year spell at Aston Villa.
The Belgium international, who has eight years of Premier League experience, said he had previously spoken with Manchester United about a potential move but remained relaxed when those discussions failed to materialise. “There have been two times that I spoke with the club, but it did not achieve anything, so I was just very calm about it,” Tielemans said, as quoted by Sky Sports.
The midfielder explained that his focus had been on representing Belgium at the World Cup, leaving his agent to handle discussions over his future. “It was mainly my agent that was dealing with it; I was more so focused on the World Cup, which was a big thing for me. When it was time that it was accepted and acceptable, I would say then I was made aware,” he said.
“I was not expecting much [a summer move], to be fair. I was just focused on my football, focused on the World Cup, trying to perform as best as I could for my country. Then every summer something can happen,” he added.
Tielemans joined Villa as a free agent after Leicester City were relegated from the Premier League and played a key role in the club’s recent success, including their Europa League triumph.
Asked whether he felt the opportunity to join one of the Premier League’s traditional top clubs had passed him by, the 29-year-old said he never believed that was the case. “Not really, because I know that at Villa we did amazing things. We achieved the Europa League win, which was great for the club, but there are still clubs above Aston Villa, and Manchester United is one of them,” he said.
Tielemans is now hoping to be part of a successful new chapter at Manchester United and believes the mood around the club is positive. “Especially at this moment, there is a very positive mood in and around the club, so I am just hopeful that we can have a great story together,” he said.
The midfielder also expressed his gratitude towards Aston Villa for helping him rediscover his best form.
“Aston Villa is a great club, and I owe them the world. They have put me back at my best level, so I am very thankful,” he added.
Tielemans has also been reunited with former Leicester teammate Jonny Evans, who is now part of the Manchester United coaching staff.
“Jonny has always been a main character. He has always been trying to educate young players, and he welcomed me at Leicester and now here. It is a bit weird to see him as a staff member, to be honest, but it is going great, and he knows me; he knows what I need and what I can bring to the team, so it helps me as well,” he said.
Tielemans has already made his first appearance for Manchester United in pre-season and will now look to establish himself as an important part of the club’s midfield as they prepare for the new Premier League campaign.
–IANS
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