Tielemans joins Manchester United on 5-year deal

Manchester United have announced the signing of Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for a reported fee of £35 million ($47 million).

The 29-year-old has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford. He has just returned from the World Cup, where he captained Belgium to the quarter-finals.

Tielemans is Manchester United's third signing of the summer transfer window after the arrivals of midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea and goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Leeds.

"It is hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United," Tielemans said.

"Signing for such a special club feels incredible. It is the result of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football.

"I have had the privilege of enjoying success in the game, and it has increased my determination to achieve more.

"The ambition throughout the club is very clear. We are all determined to compete for the biggest trophies in the coming years."

Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox termed Tielemans as one of the Premier League's outstanding midfielders in recent years.

"He has all the technical qualities, as well as the ambition and mentality, to succeed at Manchester United," Wilcox said.

Tielemans joined Aston Villa in 2023 on a free transfer from Leicester City, where he won the FA Cup.

He played an important part in Unai Emery's side as Villa qualified for the UEFA Champions League and won the UEFA Europa League last season.

Tielemans missed Belgium's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the World Cup quarter-finals because of injury.

Manchester United have made midfield reinforcements a priority following the departure of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte's knee ligament injury at the World Cup.

The club announced the signing of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea on Monday for a reported fee of £50 million.

Manchester United finished third in the Premier League last season under manager Michael Carrick and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.