Cleverley reveals negativity at Manchester United drove his 2014 loan exit to Aston Villa

Tom Cleverley has described the atmosphere at Manchester United during his final months at the club as so suffocating that his 2014 loan move to Aston Villa felt like an obvious escape. Speaking at the time of his deadline-day switch, the midfielder said he was “happy to get away from some of the negativity” that had surrounded him at Old Trafford.

Cleverley, who joined United’s academy at the age of 12 and made 79 appearances for the first team, scoring five goals and providing seven assists, admitted the mood inside the dressing room had affected the entire squad. “If all the players last season said they were high in confidence, they would be lying,” he said. “It wasn’t just me. It was the rest of the squad and that rubs on to players and the fans, too.”

Despite the difficult circumstances, Cleverley was keen to praise then-manager Louis van Gaal for his directness. “He was always straight with me,” he said. “Any footballer wants the best opportunity to play every week so it was common sense for me to try and get this move.”

The midfielder also acknowledged the personal toll of receiving criticism from United’s own supporters, while insisting it ultimately strengthened him. “If any footballer gets a bit of stick off their own fans, they are going to be hurt but it has made me strong as a character. You don’t turn into a bad player just because someone says it on Twitter.”

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2014/15 season, Cleverley was candid about his future even before the loan was confirmed. “With me being out of contract at the end of the year, if I’m honest, I don’t think I would play for the club again,” he added.

The move to Villa Park proved a productive one. Cleverley featured 37 times for the club, scored three goals, and collected an FA Cup runners-up medal after Villa lost the final to Arsenal. That form earned him a permanent transfer to Everton, where he went on to make 42 appearances across two seasons before finishing his playing career at Watford.