Youri Tielemans wants to follow in the path of last year’s successful signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and there’s a reason why he’s confident he can make it happen.
Following Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans became Man Utd’s second summer signing, and considering his age and experience, the most critical one.
Tielemans’ playing style complements the squad perfectly, and his mentality and leadership add much-needed quality to a team that has lost Casemiro.
He has been brought in to hit the ground running from day one, and there’s a reason why he’s confident that will happen.
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Youri Tielemans set to follow Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo
When you buy a 29-year-old at the peak of his powers, “time” is not something you have time for.
Tielemans will be expected to become a “plug-and-play” option in that midfield, settling in at Old Trafford with ease and confidence.
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo did the same last year, despite being younger than Tielemans, but they all have one thing in common.
Yes, they all desperately wanted to play for Man Utd, but more importantly, they are proven players in a league that is unlike any other in world football.
Tielemans stressed the importance of knowing the Premier League inside out in an interview with Man Utd’s channel.
He said: “Yeah definitely [having Premier League experience helps]. You know the players, how they play, the intensity because it’s so different from any other league, so just trying to replicate what I’ve done, and do even better.”
Tielemans has been in this league for nearly seven years, and has suffered extreme highs, like winning the Europa League last summer and scoring, to extreme lows, like relegation with Leicester City.
He is well-placed, more than anybody else, to cope with the rigours of the Premier League, which chewed up and spat out the likes of Manuel Ugarte at Man Utd.
Tielemans is the perfect “bridge” player for Man Utd
At 29, Tielemans became the oldest signing under Ineos, but it shows that the board is willing to invest in “win-now” players if they are made of the right material.
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He has been handed a five-year contract, so they clearly envision his game to age well, and for him to become a bridge for young players coming through.
He is a fine player to have in the dressing room even if he isn’t contributing much on the pitch, like Casemiro was when he was dropped by Ruben Amorim.
Tielemans can give the final two or three years of his peak to “Project 2028”, before helping the next precocious crop of young midfielders at the club coming through the ranks.
Being proven in the league will ensure that there will be no adjustment period in those peak years.
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