‘I thought he was fat!’ - Aston Villa captain John McGinn admits he was totally wrong about Man Utd new boy Youri Tielemans

Tielemans completed a £35 million switch to United this summer, ending a three-year spell at Aston Villa. The 29-year-old made 134 appearances during his time in the Midlands, establishing himself as a highly reliable figure.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Villa captain McGinn detailed his initial misconceptions about the Belgian international. When Tielemans arrived from Leicester City in 2023, McGinn wrongly assumed the midfielder lacked the necessary conditioning to thrive.

The Scotland international confessed that Tielemans' physical appearance was highly deceptive. "When he signed, I thought good player, [but] slow and unfit, looked a bit fat," McGinn admitted. "Then he took his top off and I’m like, woah, maybe not."

McGinn highlighted the midfielder's relentless dedication off the pitch, noting his flawless diet and constant presence in the gym. "I tried to get him to have a can of Coke after the game or eat a cookie on the plane or something, but he’s so driven he just does everything right, to the letter," he added.

Despite lacking explosive pace, Tielemans proved to be an invaluable asset at Villa Park. McGinn praised his vocal leadership, stating: "That myth, I think he’ll always have that with his body shape, but it’s wrong. He’s not going to burst away from you with speed, but that’s not his game.

"He’s fit as a fiddle and was really reliable for us. He’s not afraid to get people’s standards up, if you’re not playing at his standards in training or his level, he’ll let you know."

Tielemans departs Villa having contributed 10 goals across all competitions, leaving a significant void in the dressing room. McGinn described his former colleague as an "unbelievable professional" and the "complete player", confident that he will be exactly what the Red Devils need.

"He’s going to be a big loss for us," McGinn continued. "Unbelievable professional. Work rate, quality. Just a good teammate and all-round good guy, but he’s got quality as well. He can find a pass, he can score a brilliant goal. I’m talking about the complete player here.

"We’re going to lose him on and off the pitch, he’s a top player and so determined to win. That’s the one thing that I’ll maybe miss from a lot of the players [who have left Aston Villa this summer], the mentality when the going’s getting tough. I’ve got no doubts that Youri at United, he’ll deliver that, definitely."

Tielemans' competitive debut for Manchester United did not go to plan, as Michael Carrick's side suffered a shock 2-0 defeat away to newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday. The Belgian started in a revamped midfield trio alongside Bruno Fernandes and Andrey Santos.

With Carlos Baleba also arriving this summer to bolster the squad and Kobbie Mainoo pushing for a starting spot, Carrick has plenty of midfield options to consider. United will look to bounce back immediately on Sunday when they host Ipswich Town, another newly-promoted outfit.