Youri Tielemans has credited Jonny Evans with playing a small but significant role in his £35million transfer to Manchester United. The Belgium international was announced as a United player on Tuesday, moving from Aston Villa after expressing a desire to join the club.
Evans' Influence Behind the Scenes
Tielemans revealed that Evans, his former Leicester City teammate, spoke with United manager Michael Carrick about his character and personality. "He spoke with the manager about me, my character, and my personality. I've always kept in touch with Jonny. He's such a great guy," Tielemans told United's in-house media.
Evans, who retired from playing last summer and now works as a first-team coach under Carrick, played alongside Tielemans at Leicester. The pair started together in the 2021 FA Cup final, where Tielemans scored a stunning long-range winner to secure a 1-0 victory over Chelsea.
Move Details and Motivation
Villa were reluctant to lose Tielemans this summer, but the 29-year-old pushed for the move. He signed a five-year contract and will join United's pre-season squad after a post-World Cup break. Tielemans captained Belgium at the World Cup, starting every match and scoring twice before missing the quarter-final against Spain due to a knock.
"I'm very happy, very excited to start, meet the teammates, and be on the pitch together," Tielemans said. "I'm looking forward to working with the manager. As a midfielder, he can give me a lot of tips, and I can learn from him."
Premier League Experience and Ambition
Tielemans arrives with extensive Premier League experience, having previously played for Leicester City before his stint with Villa. He also played alongside Harry Maguire at Leicester but noted he hadn't spoken to him about the transfer. Evans was the key contact.
Reflecting on United's form, Tielemans said: "The second part of last season, they went on a really good run of wins with this manager, and the players have always been the same, big quality inside the team, smart signings last season. To play with them is going to be really good. I'm ready to push on, I'm ready to make the next step in my career, and that's why this is the perfect club for me."
Old Trafford Awaits
Speaking about playing at Old Trafford, Tielemans added: "I'm yet to experience it as a home player, but as an away player, it's a tough ground to come to. You can feel the atmosphere straight away once you come into the stadium; the history is there. To play for the home team is going to be nice."
