Ben Foster has picked out Youri Tielemans as the 'signing of the summer' so far in the Premier League, but believes Manchester United still need a 'big boy striker' to become definite title challengers. The former United and England goalkeeper made his comments on talkSPORT after the club triggered the Belgian's £35m release clause at Aston Villa.
United's Midfield Overhaul
Central midfield was identified as United's main area of focus heading into the summer transfer window, with the club having overhauled their misfiring attack in a £200m spending spree 12 months ago. A host of high-profile names were linked to Old Trafford, including Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes. However, Anderson completed a club-record £116m move to Manchester City, while Tonali and Fernandes joined Tottenham for a combined fee of around £185m.
United instead honed in on Andrey Santos, wrapping up a £48m deal with Chelsea for the 22-year-old Brazil international. Just 24 hours later, Tielemans followed Santos through the doors at Old Trafford, with United triggering the Belgian's release clause.
Foster's Verdict on Tielemans
'I still think Youri Tielemans is the signing so far. What a bit of business,' Foster said. 'I've watched a load of transfers happen, Tottenham spending a lot of money, Arsenal have just spent a lot of money, but I still think Youri Tielemans is the signing of the summer so far. For £30m (£35m), whatever it was, he is a ready-made, good-to-go, starting XI player and if you can spend that money on a ready-to-go starter then it's worth every single penny.'
Foster also stressed the need for a focal point striker, saying: 'I still think they need that one focal point striker, that one big boy striker. The problem is, where are you going to get it from? And it's going to cost you £100m, it's the way it goes nowadays.' He was encouraged by Benjamin Sesko's form last season, believing the 23-year-old has the raw ingredients to lead the attack under Michael Carrick. 'Sesko looks like he's got the raw elements of it,' he said. 'It's whether he can polish those raw parts up a little bit more.'
Title Hopes and Squad Needs
Foster hopes United can carry their end-of-season resurgence under Carrick into the new campaign, starting away to newly promoted Hull City on August 22. 'They've got a definite chance [to challenge for the title] if they can add one big boy up top,' he added. 'Kobbie Mainoo has got a point to prove this season, their defence is kind of settled, they've got a really strong attack apart from that main focal guy, Youri Tielemans coming in as well, and Andrey Santos. If they can carry on from last season that's a big thing, you always like to finish the season well because you carry that on, the standards have already been set from what Michael Carrick put in place last season. I'd like to think they can carry that into the new season.'
In addition to a striker, Foster feels Carrick may still require a quality centre-back and a 'big' central midfielder to replace Casemiro. 'They need a striker, maybe a big centre-back. Matthijs de Ligt is obviously out and there's a bit of mystery with what he's got… They could do with another big centre-back, another big midfielder, somebody that can get forward and score goals, like what Casemiro used to do with his head, and then a big striker.'
Tielemans on His Move
Speaking ahead of a pre-season clash with Leeds, Tielemans revealed he had twice held talks with United before this summer's move. 'There have been two times that I spoke with the club, but it did not achieve anything, so I was just very calm about it,' he explained. 'It was not Anderlecht, it was way after. I did not speak with [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer], no.'
Tielemans was made aware of United's interest during the World Cup, leaving his agent to handle business while he captained Belgium. 'It was mainly my agent that was dealing with it,' he added. 'I was more focused on the World Cup, which was a big thing for me. So I left it all to him and then when it was time and when it was accepted and acceptable, I would say, then I was made aware. I am very calm about it. When a move comes up, then if it needs to happen, it will happen. At the times that I have been linked with the club before, it did not happen, but it is what it is. I just keep working, keep doing my thing on the pitch and then it happens.'
