Youri Tielemans has picked up another big endorsement after John Obi Mikel and former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster both labelled his move to Old Trafford the signing of the summer.
Manchester United paid £35 million to bring the Belgium international in from Aston Villa, a fee that has raised plenty of eyebrows given Tielemans’ nearing thirties.
John Obi Mikel, who won major honours with Chelsea, was particularly impressed by the deal.
Obi Mikel calls Youri Tielemans a bargain
“For me, it’s Youri Tielemans. Honestly… how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35million? That’s a f*****g steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player,” John Obi Mikel said.
Obi Mikel’s argument goes beyond the price tag. He sees Tielemans’ versatility as one of his biggest strengths.
“Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a 10 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.”
The former Chelsea midfielder also pointed to the Belgian captain’s work with the ball, his goalscoring and his set-piece ability.
“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.”
For Obi Mikel, there is very little competition when comparing Tielemans with other midfielders who have changed clubs this summer.
“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.”
Ben Foster backs £35m United deal
Ben Foster has reached much the same conclusion.
“I still think Youri Tielemans is the signing of the summer so far. What a bit of business that is. I’ve been watching the window so far – Tottenham and Arsenal spending a lot of money, but I still think Tielemans is the best signing.”
The former Manchester United goalkeeper’s praise is based partly on what Tielemans can immediately give Michael Carrick.
“For £35million, he is a ready-made, good to go, starting 11 player and I think if you can spend that money on a starter, it is worth every single penny.”
That is exactly what United will want to hear after spending £35m on a player who turns 30 next year.
Tielemans has already shown encouraging signs during pre-season, including his link-up with Bruno Fernandes.
With both Obi Mikel and Foster viewing the transfer as outstanding business, expectations around Tielemans are certainly growing.
