‘Difficult to say no to Man Utd’ - Youri Tielemans transfer surprised fellow Belgian Philippe Albert but lure of ‘mythic club’ is understandable

Tielemans has never shied away from the fact that he followed United closely when first falling in love with football. He was never going to pass up the opportunity to join their ranks when a formal approach was made.

The 29-year-old has previously enjoyed success in England at Leicester and with Aston Villa, savouring FA Cup and Europa League triumphs, but now has his sights set on more major silverware in Manchester.

United are still searching for consistency as a collective in 2026-27, with Tielemans yet to dominate proceedings in the middle of the park, and questions continue to be asked of whether Michael Carrick received the right level of support from his board in the last transfer window.

The odd question has been asked of whether Tielemans is much of an upgrade on what the Red Devils already had at their disposal - with Mason Mount more than capable of keeping things ticking over - but the hope is that a £35 million ($47m) deal will prove to be money well spent.

Asked if Tielemans’ move raised a few eyebrows in the Albert household, the former Premier League defender - who was speaking in association with BestCasino.co.uk - told GOAL of his fellow countryman: “It's difficult to say no to a club like Man United. Even if it's not the same club that was under Sir Alex [Ferguson].

“Sir Alex made them the best team in the world at some point. But when you play for Aston Villa, he did very well. He won the European Cup as well. He won the FA Cup with Leicester, and when Man U comes, it's difficult to say no.

“Even if he knows it's difficult because it's not the same club as before, it's still a huge club - a mythic club, a legendary club. I was surprised he signed there, but like I said, when Man U is interested, it's almost impossible to say no.

“You say no to Man U if City comes, if Real Madrid, Barca or maybe Bayern. But United is still a great club and always will be because big clubs never die.”

Tielemans said of his decision to join United when bringing a three-year stint at Villa to a close: “There had been two times that I spoke with the club, but it did not achieve anything.

“I was very calm. I was not expecting much this summer, to be fair. I was just focused on my football, focused on the World Cup and trying to perform my best for my country. But you know every summer something can happen, and obviously I was aware of the clause.

“I am very thankful to Aston Villa. I owe them the world. It is a great club, we did amazing things, and they have put me back to my best level. But there are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them.

“It is a great achievement for any footballer to end up here. It means you have done well in your career. But it does not end there. I want to be successful.”

Tielemans has taken in 11 appearances for the Red Devils so far, across Premier League, Carabao Cup and Champions League competition. He has found himself on the winning side just twice.

That situation has seen pressure mount on under-fire head coach Carrick, with an upturn in fortune being demanded at the so-called ‘Theatre of Dreams’. The Red Devils, on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Como in Champions League action, will return to domestic duty on Sunday when playing host to Bournemouth.