Youri Tielemans is now a Manchester United player. The club triggered his £35 million release clause yesterday, and on paper it looks like a solid deal. Tielemans has been one of the more consistent midfielders in the Premier League since his Leicester days. He scored the winner in the 2021 FA Cup final. He’s tough, he’s technical, and he’s still only 29. But here’s the thing that’s bugging some fans: United could have signed him for exactly zero pounds back in 2023.
When Leicester got relegated, Tielemans left on a free transfer. United had scouted him since 2016. They knew what he could do. Instead of bringing him in, the club paid Chelsea £55 million for Mason Mount. Mount hasn’t exactly set the world on fire at Old Trafford. And now, three years later, United are paying £35 million for the same player they passed on for nothing. That’s the kind of math that makes fans want to throw their remote through the TV.
A recurring pattern that needs to stop
This isn’t an isolated thing. United have a habit of waiting until a player’s price tag balloons before showing interest. Take Carlos Baleba. United scouted him when he was at Lille, when his fee was around £30 million. They passed. He moved to Brighton, proved he could handle the Premier League, and suddenly United wanted him last summer. By then Brighton had slapped a £100 million price on his head. That’s £70 million of regret right there.
Another one? Jude Bellingham. United had a real shot at him when he was breaking through at Birmingham City. But the club’s reluctance to trust young players in the first team was a known issue at the time. Bellingham chose Borussia Dortmund instead. We all know how that turned out.
The old model didn’t work
Before INEOS took over the sporting side, United’s transfer strategy was basically: buy big names, pay huge fees, hope for the best. Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, Casemiro. All arrived with fanfare. All left as free agents. Zero resale value on any of them. That’s not sustainable. It’s not even smart.
Dan James was the exception. United paid £15 million for him, sold him to Leeds for £25 million. That’s the kind of deal the club should be chasing. Young, affordable, and if it doesn’t work out, you can still move them on without taking a bath. Last summer’s window showed some promise with that approach. Andrey Santos, though not fully proven, is only 22. He gives United a chance to show they can actually develop a player into a star.
Tielemans is a good player. He’ll help the midfield. But the fact that United paid £35 million for someone they could’ve had on a free is a reminder that the club still has old habits to break. Whether INEOS can actually change that culture is something only time will tell. But the fans are watching closely.
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