Tom Cleverley has revealed he was glad to leave the negativity surrounding him at Manchester United when he joined Aston Villa on loan in 2014, describing the move as common sense.
Escape from Old Trafford negativity
Cleverley, who joined United's academy at age 12, made 79 appearances for the club, scoring five goals and providing seven assists. Speaking after his deadline-day move to Villa, he said: "I am happy to get away from some of the negativity that surrounded me at Man United and I am genuinely excited about this season at Aston Villa."
He added: "If all the players last season said they were high in confidence, they would be lying. It wasn't just me. It was the rest of the squad and that rubs on to players and the fans, too. It was a tough season for us but I've got away from the negativity of that and this is a brand-new challenge and I can't wait to get stuck into it."
Villa move and praise for Van Gaal
Cleverley acknowledged the criticism he faced from fans but said it strengthened him. "If any footballer gets a bit of stick off their own fans, they are going to be hurt but it has made me strong as a character. You don't turn into a bad player just because someone says it on Twitter," he said.
He also praised then-manager Louis van Gaal, saying: "He was always straight with me. Any footballer wants the best opportunity to play every week so it was common sense for me to try and get this move."
Career after United
With his contract set to expire at the end of the 2014/15 season, Cleverley admitted he did not expect to return to Old Trafford. He said: "With me being out of contract at the end of the year, if I'm honest, I don't think I would play for the club again."
After a successful loan at Villa, where he made 37 appearances and scored three goals, he joined Everton. His time at Villa Park ended with an FA Cup runners-up medal after a final defeat to Arsenal. He then spent two seasons at Everton, featuring in 42 games with eight goal contributions, before finishing his playing career at Watford, where he scored 19 goals and assisted 15 times.
Cleverley has since moved into management, overseeing Watford from 2024 to 2025 before becoming head coach at Plymouth Argyle.
