Manchester United have been told they have already secured one of the signings of the summer ahead of the new Premier League season. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has singled out the club's £35m capture of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa as the most impressive midfield transfer of the window, describing the deal as a 'f****** steal'.
Mikel's Verdict on Tielemans
Speaking on The Obi One podcast, Mikel was unequivocal when asked which midfield signing had caught his eye. 'For me, it's Youri Tielemans,' he said. 'Honestly, how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35m? That's a f****** steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player.'
Mikel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea, highlighted Tielemans' versatility and intelligence as key attributes. 'Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy.'
'He scores goals, he's dangerous from set pieces, he's brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he's not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.'
Alderweireld's Praise
Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld, who played alongside Tielemans for Belgium, echoed Mikel's sentiments. 'The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,' he told Hajper. 'Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that.'
'Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward. You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that's very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down.'
Alderweireld also praised Tielemans' mentality under pressure. 'Even when he's playing in a deep role, he's playing it in an attacking way. He's thinking about going forwards, always. Sometimes he will lose the ball but that's what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that's something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt. He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.'
United's Summer Spending Spree
United have been busy in the transfer market under manager Michael Carrick, with Tielemans joining Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, who arrived in a £48m move from Chelsea, and goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco have also joined the club's academy setup.
The Red Devils have spent heavily on midfield reinforcements, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes all securing lucrative moves elsewhere. However, Mikel believes Tielemans represents the best value of the lot.
Pre-Season and Upcoming Fixtures
United drew 1-1 with European champions PSG in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night. They have two more tune-up games against Leeds United and AC Milan before their Premier League opener against Hull City.
Carrick is reportedly still interested in bringing a third new midfielder to Old Trafford before the transfer window shuts, but the club's supporters will be hoping Tielemans can make an immediate impact in the heart of midfield.
