Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa after their move for the Atalanta midfielder Éderson fell through.
Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, is in advanced talks with Villa regarding a financial package for Tielemans. The 29-year-old, who was part of Belgium’s World Cup squad, is thought to have a £35m release clause in his contract, which has two years remaining.
Tielemans has considerable Premier League experience having joined Leicester from Monaco in 2019 before moving to Villa on a free transfer four years later. The player has 90 caps for his country and captained them at the World Cup, where they lost 2-1 to Spain at the quarter-final stage on Friday.
With Casemiro having left United at the end of last season and Manuel Ugarte considered a squad player at best, Michael Carrick is seeking to overhaul his midfield.
A £48m plus £2m add-ons deal for Chelsea’s Andrey Santos was confirmed on Monday and Éderson was to be United’s second midfield signing of the summer. However, the proposed £38m transfer has been called off after the 27-year-old Brazilian’s medical. United could return to the deal later in the window.
In the meantime, United have moved ahead with their interest in Tielemans and their intent to recruit him signals a shift in United’s transfer policy give his age means he will have little or no sell-on value.
He would also represent a notable loss to Villa, especially in light of the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained by his compatriot Amadou Onana at the World Cup.
Villa do appear ready to bolster their midfield options with the £49m signing of Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi from Freiburg, however.
