'Unbelievable' - Leicester legend Jamie Vardy backs Man Utd star Youri Tielemans to reach another level at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s decision to trigger the £35m release clause in Tielemans' Aston Villa contract has been met with significant approval from those who know the Belgian best. Vardy, who spent four-and-a-half years playing alongside the midfielder at the King Power Stadium, has expressed his excitement about the move.

"I just think he’ll start kicking on again if I’m honest," Vardy said on his Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party podcast when discussing Tielemans’ summer switch to United. "I played against him with Belgium, he was unbelievable and you were like, 'Wow, who is this?', because he was only young at the time. It then came through that we [Leicester] had signed him on loan at first and I remember going around all the lads and saying, 'We’ve signed a player here!', and I mean a really good player."

The 29-year-old Belgian international has committed his long-term future to the Red Devils, signing a five-year deal that keeps him at the club until 2031. Tielemans has wasted no time in expressing his delight at the move, describing Manchester United as the perfect club for me as he looks to add to his trophy cabinet.

After a successful spell at Villa Park where he helped Unai Emery’s side secure a Europa League title and a top-four finish, the midfielder is now focused on returning United to the summit of European football. "Inside the team, there’s a lot of quality and I feel like this is a good step for me to push on and hopefully win many, many titles with the club," Tielemans told the club's official media.

Beyond his technical brilliance, former Leicester captain Wes Morgan has highlighted the professional standards that Tielemans will bring to the United dressing room. Morgan, who joined Vardy on the podcast, noted that the Belgian's work ethic was a standout trait during their time together.

"What I’ve seen with Youri is dedication to his job," Morgan explained. "I always used to see him in the gym, working extra hard and doing extra work. He was really working on improving himself. He never took it easy in training, he always gave it 100 per cent, but he’s another one that has that technical capability, that awareness and that speed of thought. I’m not surprised to see him go to the top and be at Manchester United now. Hopefully he’ll show everyone how good he is. He deserves everything that he’s got so far."

Vardy echoed these sentiments regarding the midfielder's personality and integration into a squad, recalling how quickly he settled into life in England. "He came in and straight away you could tell… the dedication, 100 per cent every day,’ Vardy added. ‘He would then get in the dressing room and he was so down to earth, so normal. He was a real breath of fresh air for us at that time."

Tielemans has already featured for United during their pre-season campaign, clocking up minutes against Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United, and AC Milan. With the Premier League season set to kick off this weekend, all eyes will be on whether the Belgian starts in the opener against newly promoted Hull City.