Youri Tielemans transfer news: Manchester United complete signing of midfielder from Aston Villa for £35m
Youri Tielemans had been at Aston Villa since 2023 and won the Europa League last season under Unai Emery; Man Utd have already signed midfielder Andrey Santos in a £50m deal from Chelsea
Tuesday 14 July 2026 19:51, UK
Manchester United have completed the signing of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £36m.
The 29-year-old has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford and now becomes the second midfielder signed in the summer window, after the club already confirmed the £50m arrival of Andrey Santos from Chelsea.
Speaking in a statement released by the club, Tielemans said: "It's hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United.
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"Signing for such a special club feels incredible, it is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football.
"I have had the privilege of experiencing success in the game and it has only increased my determination to achieve more.
"The ambition from everyone at the club is extremely clear; we are all determined to push for the biggest trophies over the coming years."
This summer, he played five times for - and captained - Belgium at the World Cup, scoring twice in a 3-2 win against Senegal in the last 32.
Tielemans had been at Villa since 2023, when he joined on a free transfer from Leicester City, and made 134 appearances for the club, scoring 10 times.
During that time, Villa have twice qualified for the Champions League, reached the quarter-finals in that competition and won the Europa League last season under Unai Emery, with Tielemans opening the scoring in the final against Freiburg.
Before joining Villa, Tielemans won the FA Cup and Community Shield at Leicester.
Analysis: Tielemans is ready-made, reliable midfield option
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz and William Bitibiri:
Aston Villa have a lot of gems in their team - Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers to name a few. But ask any Villa fan who their most important player is and most would have said Youri Tielemans.
Many concluded that Villa's exit from the Premier League title race picture in February coincided with Tielemans' ankle injury. They went from a team that won 10 out of 13 league games to a side that lost four out of their next seven.
So missed when absent, the Belgian was a crucial cog in the Villa midfield due to his all-round midfield control. He's outstanding in the duels - with one of the best tackle success rate among Premier League midfielders - but he's also pivotal on the ball.
Tielemans is capable of breaking through the lines and providing that killer pass. His through-ball numbers are among the most creative players in the Premier League.
Tielemans emerged as a shock candidate to anchor Manchester United's midfield rebuild but he's one who arguably ticks more boxes than anyone else on the Old Trafford shortlist.
For a club preparing for the toils of the Champions League, alongside a desire to better their current Premier League position, Tielemans represents the ready-made option that proved so successful for United last season. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha raised United's level last season and were examples of astute business from INEOS.
The 29-year-old joins with a CV as impressive as his goal repertoire. He scored the winner in Leicester City's FA Cup final triumph in 2021, delivered again in Aston Villa's Europa League final victory last season and captained Belgium at the 2026 World Cup.
Tielemans brings composure in possession, leadership without the armband and has done it all at the highest level. INEOS are planning for the long term but that shouldn't come at the detriment to what United want to achieve immediately. Tielemans is an obvious fit and may be an early shout for signing of the summer.
'Another midfielder on the cards for Man Utd'
Sky Sports News Danyal Khan:
"I think Manchester United would be keen to add maybe one more midfielder.
"We know they have a long-term interest in Bournemouth's Alex Scott, but everything we are hearing from the Bournemouth side is that he is not for sale and that they would like to tie him down to another contract. They also have a long-term interest in Brighton's Carlos Baleba.
"When you look at Santos, when you look at Tielemans in that midfield, maybe with Kobbie Mainoo as well, maybe that midfield just lacks a bit of legs, a bit of athleticism, and that's what they thought they were getting in Atalanta's Ederson.
"We now know that United are not pursuing that deal anymore.
"But I think another midfielder is on the cards, a different profile of midfielder and I think that will be their next priority, as well as maybe looking at another left-back.
"Maybe another left winger as well but they need to sort out Marcus Rashford's future once his World Cup is done.
"What that looks like, we'll wait and see, but it looks like they are going to reintegrate him into Michael Carrick's team at Old Trafford.
"But this is still very much the beginning of the transfer window for Manchester United to compete on all fronts next summer with the return of Champions League football."
