Andrey Santos and Kobbie Mainoo’s midfield partner is set to arrive, so how does Youri Tielemans’ playing style fit next to those two?
Ineos have played a blinder here, signing both Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for less than what Mateus Fernandes cost Spurs.
The latter is Premier League-proven, has leadership qualities, and at the peak of his powers, even if Tielemans’ injury record is a bit worrisome.
But the most important thing is Youri Tielemans’ playing style, and how he fits next to Andrey Santos and Kobbie Mainoo.
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Youri Tielemans’ playing style
If Andrey Santos’ playing style was one based on potential with the ability to eventually be a complete midfielder, Tielemans is already there.
It’s not a surprise that he’s complete at 29, but it should fill Man Utd fans with confidence that they’ve just nabbed one of the best in the league for just £35m.
Tielemans’ playing style can be broadly separated into two eras: pre-Unai Emery and post-Unai Emery.
Before he joined Aston Villa and played under Unai Emery, Tielemans was a maverick in midfield who would do the cute little things and perform magic with the ball.
Be it through audacious passes or dribbling through the middle himself, the Belgian was someone who needed a caretaker next to him for defensive duties.
Since Emery’s appointment, Tielemans has taken his game to the next level, adding grit and bite to an already technically proficient skill set.
Now, he works hard off the ball, closes down passing angles, willingly throws himself into duels, all the while retaining what made him special on the ball.
Defensive contribution has gone from one of the holes in his game to one of his biggest strengths as he has truly become an all-action, box-to-box midfielder.
Tielemans’ fit alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Andrey Santos
Tielemans has shown such an improvement in his off-the-ball game that, as it stands, he is the best “defensive-minded” midfielder at the club among Mainoo and Santos.
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Mainoo has shown immense development in his defensive game, while Santos has the raw tools to be elite at that part of the game.
Simply put, Tielemans can start alongside either Mainoo or Santos, and United won’t miss a beat.
Alongside Mainoo, he can cover ground and dovetail on the ball nicely since he likes to play forward passes, while Mainoo likes to carry it himself.
Alongside Santos, he will lean into a more defensive role, allowing Santos to crash the box and do his progressive passing.
He is simply a chameleon who has mastered both sides of midfield play, while adding goals to boot. That’s why he’s the perfect plug-and-play starter alongside either midfielder.
However, he would truly be at his best alongside a duel-winning monster, so he’s not stretched beyond his limit, because shoehorning him in a purely defensive role would waste his ability on the ball.
Just because he can do it doesn’t mean he should, but United’s midfield has just received a shot of star dust in the form of a do-it-all midfielder who is at the peak of his powers.
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