Manchester United have pulled off a transfer masterclass by agreeing a surprise £35 million deal for Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to reports. The Belgian playmaker is set to undergo a medical on Tuesday after United triggered his release clause, leaving several Premier League rivals looking foolish.
Tielemans Deal a Bargain for United
The Red Devils will pay around £35 million for Tielemans, a proven Premier League performer who recently captained Belgium at the World Cup. Villa had no desire to sell and offered him a new contract, but Tielemans made it clear he wanted to join United, according to sources. The fee is considered a bargain for a player of his calibre, addressing a key problem area in central midfield.
Rivals Left Red-Faced
The move comes hot on the heels of United's confirmation of Andrey Santos's arrival from Chelsea. The combined fee for both players is around £85 million – exactly the sum Tottenham paid to beat United to the signing of Mateus Fernandes. For that amount, Spurs got one player who has been relegated from the Premier League in each of the last two seasons, and they spent another £100 million on Sandro Tonali.
United, meanwhile, are signing two excellent midfielders of very different profiles for considerably less. Santos is young, hungry, and has plenty of potential for future growth, while Tielemans is battle-hardened, at his peak, and capable of covering several positions in the middle of the park.
Aston Villa and Chelsea Come Off Second Best
Villa are left with egg on their face, powerless to stop Tielemans leaving at the price set by his release clause. Chelsea also won't come out of this unscathed. Santos was lauded as one of their best young players during his loan spell at Strasbourg two seasons ago before becoming a regular starter in the Blues senior squad. He was destined to hold down their midfield for years, but now he'll be future-proofing United's engine room instead, at a reasonable price in this market.
According to Archie Griggs writing for Express Sport, "The only winners in this scenario are the Red Devils, who will be rubbing their hands with glee after pulling off two brilliant bits of business."
