Manchester United sign Belgium captain Youri Tielemans
Manchester United has signed Belgian national team captain Youri Tielemans from local rivals Aston Villa on a contract running until June, the club announced on Tuesday.
In a statement, the club said, “Manchester United is pleased to announce the signing of Youri Tielemans, subject to the completion of official registration procedures. The midfielder has signed a contract until June 2031.”
The 29-year-old has been playing in England since 2019, when he joined Leicester City from Monaco, before moving to Aston Villa in the summer of 2023 as a free agent after his contract with the 2016 Premier League champions expired.
Tielemans, who has earned 90 caps for Belgium, recently returned from the World Cup, where he helped lead his national team to the quarter-finals.
Last season, the Belgian played a key role in guiding Aston Villa to win the Europa League title against German side Freiburg, and to finish fourth in the Premier League, directly behind his new club, United.
Quoting Tielemans, the United website reported: “It is hard to describe how proud I am to join Manchester United. Signing for a club of this size and heritage is an incredible feeling, and the result of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football.”
He added, “I have had the opportunity to achieve success in the world of football, and this has only strengthened my determination to achieve more. The ambition within the club is very clear; we are all determined to compete for the biggest trophies in the coming years.”
For his part, sporting director Jason Wilcox said, “Youri has consistently been one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League over the past seven years. He possesses all the technical qualities, along with the ambition and mindset required to succeed at Manchester United.”
He added that the Belgian “will bring more calm, creativity, and leadership to our squad. We are delighted to welcome a player with such influence and experience, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, as we continue to build a team capable of competing for the biggest trophies.”
