Youri Tielemans don finally become Manchester United player. Na so e happen for third time wey United try to sign am. For 2019, dem look am well well after im loan spell for Leicester. For 2022, dem again try but dem dey wait too long for Frenkie de Jong to decide if e go leave Barcelona. But dis July, while im dey World Cup duty, United don trigger im £35m release clause and sign am for five years from Aston Villa.
Tielemans talk say im no dey expect am. ‘I was calm. I no dey expect anything dis summer, to be fair,’ im yarn. ‘I just focus on my football and World Cup wey I dey try to do my best for my country. But every summer something fit happen, and I know the clause dey there.’ Im also thank Aston Villa: ‘I owe dem the world. Na great club, we do amazing things, and dem put me back to my best level. But there be clubs above Villa, and Manchester United na one of dem.’
Im say na big achievement for any footballer to end up for Man United. ‘E mean say you don do well for your career. But e no end there. I want to be successful.’ Tielemans don cut relaxed figure as e dey talk with journalists. Im even shake hand with all of dem. When dem ask am if e fit bring goals, dem remember say im score Leicester winner for 2021 FA Cup final and opener for Villa for Europa League win over Freiburg for May. Im answer simple: ‘That’s the aim.’
E don clear say im and Bruno Fernandes dey build something. United officials don notice am for Gothenburg last weekend, even though dem only play together for 26 minutes for 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain. ‘E really natural,’ Tielemans talk. ‘He dey find space easily. I just try to find am so e fit move forward.’
Tielemans still dey think well. E don play many games. Im make im professional debut for Anderlecht at 16. Im don play 668 games for club and country. Im even pull out of Belgium World Cup quarter-final with Spain last month after issue for warm-up. ‘I feel very good,’ im talk. ‘But for that last game, na too many games. Too many minutes. My body just switch off. We play 120 minutes against Senegal, then US a few days later, three days after that we play Spain. For warm-up, my body just switch off for some reason.’
Im say im no be player wey absolutely need rest. ‘But when I good, I good. When e no go well, I go know straight away and alert manager. But e no dey happen often.’
For United, some old faces dey help am settle. Jonny Evans na former Leicester team-mate, and dem still close. Evans give good character reference to head coach Michael Carrick. Tielemans also play with Harry Maguire for short period for Leicester, and Marcus Rashford na team-mate for Aston Villa. Rashford surprise many people by coming back to im boyhood club after fallout with Ruben Amorim. Tielemans talk say: ‘He was great. There be so much talk about am, so much pressure, but im dey so good. Im humble and hard-working. From first training, you go see im touch and acceleration dey amazing. That na wetin we need at that time. Im do many good things, and hopefully e fit bring dem here.’
Tielemans arrival na answer to problem wey United don get since Carrick quit for 2018. Dem need scheming midfielder wey fit pass and break defensive line. For theory, e go allow Fernandes get more room to dey play for front and help United control game. Dem don dey see United as better for counter-attack. Carrick talk to Tielemans before im sign. For past ten days, im don see wetin Carrick want. ‘He want me to be free for pitch, try to organise team,’ Tielemans talk. ‘He get im structure. He want to hold ball and press for certain ways. E fit be different from wetin I dey used to, but na logical things for my opinion. E just dey smell football, wey I dey do from young for Anderlecht. For me, nothing change, but e just need to gel together.’
