Man Utd is close to signing a surprising player from another Premier League team!
Manchester United are said to be in serious talks to sign a surprising Premier League midfielder—not the one you might think. After missing out on Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes recently, United were strongly linked to Chelsea’s Andrey Santos.
On July 8, it was reported that the two clubs agreed on a £50 million deal for the young Brazilian, with an initial £48 million plus £2 million in add-ons. Chelsea will also get 10% of any future sale. Santos has already had a medical exam. But it seems United are still looking for another midfielder.
On July 13, The Athletic’s David Ornstein shared that United are in advanced talks to sign Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. The 29-year-old Belgium international, who helped his country reach the World Cup quarter-finals and captains the team, is under contract until 2028. He played a big role in Villa’s Europa League run but prefers moving to United, despite interest from other Premier League clubs.
Ornstein said, “All sides are talking to finish the transfer. It’s a bit of a surprise but would bring much-needed experience and skill to an area United really wants to strengthen this summer.” He added, “Villa don’t want to sell Tielemans, but his contract has a release clause around £35 million, so they might not have a choice.”
Tielemans has played for both Leicester City and Aston Villa, scoring two goals and making seven assists last season as Villa qualified for the Champions League. According to Capology, he earns £150,000 a week, making him Villa’s joint-highest earner alongside Boubacar Kamara.
Interestingly, Tielemans was also linked to United back in 2016 during José Mourinho’s time, but he denied any contact then. He said, “I have never been in contact with José Mourinho. Anyone saying otherwise isn’t telling the truth. I respect Mourinho and many other managers, but he never reached out to me. I’m focused on my career.”
United reportedly decided not to sign Atalanta’s Ederson after agreeing on a £35 million plus add-ons deal last month. The Brazilian, who got a late call-up for Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad, had agreed to personal terms and was expected to have a medical after the tournament. Ornstein mentioned United might look at this transfer again before the window closes on September 1.