Manchester United twice passed up the chance to sign Youri Tielemans, even when he was available for free, before finally fulfilling his childhood dream after 13 years of perseverance.

Manchester United secured Youri Tielemans for £35 million. Having twice failed to join the club in 2019 and 2023, the Belgium captain achieved his "childhood dream" soon after turning 29. Back in 2013, before his first professional match, Tielemans publicly expressed his admiration for Manchester United. After 13 years, his aspiration was realized. "When Manchester United invites you, you don't think twice," Tielemans remarked.

During the 2018/19 season, Manchester United had their first chance to sign Tielemans. At 21, he was ready to leave Monaco in Ligue 1, and Old Trafford was a destination he was keen on. United were also in the market for a midfielder, as Paul Pogba was eyeing a move to Real Madrid.

At that time, Tielemans had already been on loan at Leicester City for half a season, proving himself in the Premier League. The Foxes were eager to make his move permanent, but the Belgian midfielder wanted to wait and see if Manchester United would make an offer. Four years earlier, he had crossed paths with the club he supported when the two teams met in the Europa League, and Tielemans, as captain, exchanged club flags with United skipper Michael Carrick.

However, Tielemans never received a call from United. That year, the club did not sign a midfielder; the next new arrival in that position was Donny van de Beek in 2020. Ed Woodward rejected Pogba's desire to leave, and Tielemans knew that if he joined United then, he would only be a backup to Pogba. So, after the holiday, he decided to make his move to Leicester permanent for £32 million, signing a four-year contract.

Tielemans performed well at the King Power Stadium, especially in the 2021 FA Cup final, where his long-range strike helped Leicester beat Chelsea 1-0 to lift the trophy. He was named man of the match and won both the club's Player of the Season awards, voted for by fans and teammates.

In the summer of 2022, Manchester United's recruitment department evaluated Tielemans. Despite his match-winning goal in the FA Cup final a year earlier, scouts had reservations. Manager Erik ten Hag considered Tielemans a good player but not the type he needed for his tactical system.

Ten Hag opted to bring in Christian Eriksen on a free transfer and pushed for the club to pursue his former Ajax favorite Frenkie de Jong. After a saga lasting over three months, United ultimately failed to sign De Jong and instead spent £60 million to bring Casemiro from Real Madrid.

United's transfer decisions at that time are still widely criticized, including the choice not to compete with Arsenal for Declan Rice, who was deemed not worth over £100 million. Rice was open to joining United, but the Red Devils voluntarily withdrew from the race.

The following year, Tielemans' contract with Leicester expired, making him a free agent. He once again hoped for an offer from Manchester United, but like many top European clubs, United had reservations. The Red Devils never considered signing Tielemans, even though he would have cost no transfer fee. Instead, they spent £60 million on Mason Mount, who had only one year left on his Chelsea contract.

At the time, many scouts and transfer experts believed Tielemans, though only 26, might have already passed his peak. Theoretically, that age is the prime of a career, but Tielemans had made his professional debut for Anderlecht at just 16 years, 2 months, and 21 days, meaning he had already been playing for a decade.

Insiders thought that Tielemans, who started too early, had played too many matches, severely affecting his physical condition. He was worn out, similar to former English prodigy Michael Owen, who declined prematurely.

That season, Leicester City was relegated from the Premier League, and Tielemans' form was poor. So, even though he was available for free, he was surprised to find that potential buyers he had hoped to attract—such as Manchester United and Arsenal—had lost interest.

Aston Villa warmly embraced Tielemans, confident in his abilities. Their analysis team had studied his data thoroughly and concluded that his problems were not due to physical decline but rather the overall dysfunction of his team.

An experienced source explained: "The biggest question about Tielemans was his mobility and energy, but given Unai Emery's style—which emphasizes positional awareness and organization—those concerns weren't an issue at Villa. Top clubs might only look at his poor recent season and the team's relegation, judging him by that standard, rather than stepping back and taking a broader view or deeper understanding of his entire career."

It is understood that Villa's scouting team had been tracking Tielemans since he was 16 and captaining Anderlecht. They knew his good character and believed his ability was rare in Europe, making him worth the risk.

Therefore, Villa contacted Tielemans' agent as early as when his contract entered its final six months. In January of that year, they told him that he was their top target for the No.8 position, a decision backed by manager Emery.

Emery even visited Tielemans at his home to persuade him to join Villa, promising a high salary. Tielemans, in turn, insisted that a release clause be included in the contract. The club accepted this as a necessary condition for signing him for free, because although top clubs weren't interested, other mid-to-lower-table teams were competing for him.

Tielemans did not let Villa down, especially in the 2024/25 season, when he made 53 appearances, 52 of them starts, completely dispelling doubts about his physical condition. He played a total of 4,511 minutes across all competitions, becoming the first Villa player since Alan Wright and goalkeeper Mark Bosnich in the 1995/96 season to start more than 50 games in a single campaign. At the end of the season, he swept all of Villa's internal player awards. An insider praised him: "He's absolutely fantastic, a truly remarkable player."

Last season, Tielemans suffered calf and ankle injuries, limiting his appearances to 35. However, from Villa's perspective, they did not view this as a sign of decline. The club was eager to renew his contract. Although his £150,000-a-week deal still had two years left, the release clause had become active, attracting interest from two Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, as well as several Saudi Arabian teams.

Villa failed to qualify for the Champions League last season and faced financial constraints. They had to wait until July, when the new financial year began, to negotiate a contract extension with the player. Meanwhile, Manchester United activated the release clause, and Tielemans made up his mind to leave, wanting to fulfill his childhood dream.

The amount of Tielemans' release clause is confidential. He was eager to play for a top club, but out of respect for Villa's support, the Belgian midfielder accepted that he would only leave Villa Park if another club offered a transfer fee that met the required standard. The release clause was meant to ensure he could make his own decision when he wanted to leave.

Due to the high confidentiality of the release clause, even key figures involved in bringing Tielemans to Villa were unaware of its details. However, Manchester United clearly knew about it, as the club's offer of £35 million exactly matched the activation amount.

Sources close to Tielemans revealed that his agency, Claes Agency, has a partnership with Manchester United, so communication channels remained open. Tielemans' agent, Bob Claes, who previously served as CEO of Standard Liège and a member of the European Club Association (ECA) and professional leagues, had dealings with United executives.

Manchester United had long known about the release clause but initially planned to sign Ederson from Atalanta. In early June, United reached an agreement with the Serie A club for the 27-year-old Brazilian, with a £35 million transfer fee plus £4 million in add-ons, and personal terms were also agreed.

However, Ederson's temporary call-up to the Brazilian national team delayed his medical. He underwent an initial examination in the U.S. in early July, which revealed a possible meniscus issue in his knee. On July 7, after further medical tests in the UK involving specialists, United decided to abandon the deal.

Meanwhile, United accelerated the transfer operation for Tielemans. His performance in the World Cup also influenced the decision. Ederson was a fringe player for Brazil, and his performances were unremarkable. In the 2-1 loss to Norway, he was largely responsible for Erling Haaland's winning goal.

On the other hand, Tielemans excelled, single-handedly leading his team to a comeback from 2-0 down against Senegal to win. Third time lucky, United finally decided to sign Tielemans. A source insisted: "The timing was never right before, but this time, everything aligned."

To show respect for Villa, Tielemans insisted that the negotiations be conducted cleanly after receiving United's interest. Sources say that before contacting United, Tielemans made a point of personally calling Emery to explain his feelings and his desire to speak with the club he had supported since childhood. Those close to Tielemans noted that he, nearing 30, knew this might be his last chance to join United and couldn't afford to miss out again.

Emery was naturally disappointed to lose a key player but understood Tielemans' choice. Subsequently, the agent negotiated with Villa's sporting director, Damian Vidagany, who also regretted the departure but decided to maintain a good relationship both professionally and personally, avoiding any conflict.

With everything in place, Tielemans spoke for the first time with Manchester United manager Michael Carrick about tactics and his role. The release clause made the transfer very straightforward. He completed his medical on Tuesday and was announced the same day. He signed a five-year contract, which will run until he turns 34.

The contract length may have surprised some—some thought five years was too long, while others believed it was good value. Getting Tielemans for £35 million was considered low-cost and risk-free, and his experience and quality could help develop young midfielders like Kobbie Mainoo. A Manchester United insider said: "This is an incredible signing."

Villa regretted losing Tielemans, not only for his skills but also for his professionalism, humility, and self-discipline—he was a role model for teammates. However, the club respected his contributions. In the official statement announcing his departure, they praised him as a deeply loved and respected member of the dressing room. Tielemans also had his agency produce a farewell video, thanking the club and its fans.

Tielemans had to thank Emery, the Spanish coach who wrote the "user manual" for the player, maximizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses. Emery allowed Tielemans to avoid excessive running, focusing instead on delivering the ball to the playmakers up front. Tielemans was well aware of this: "I really appreciate his style. His understanding of football aligns perfectly with mine."

Villa had not originally planned to sign a new midfielder this summer. However, Tielemans' transfer, along with Amadou Onana's serious injury ruling him out for the season, forced them to join the intense midfield transfer market this summer. Freiburg's Swiss international, Johan Manzambi, will join, but he is not a direct replacement for Tielemans. Emery still needs one or two defensive midfielders. They have already targeted Wolves' João Gomes and may continue to compete with Manchester United for other defensive midfielders on the market.