Manchester United turn to Tielemans after £39m Ederson deal stalls

Manchester United are in talks with Aston Villa to sign Belgium international Youri Tielemans, with the move emerging after United’s £39m pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Ederson hit an unexpected obstacle.

A fee and personal terms had been agreed for Ederson, but his late inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad has stalled the transfer, prompting United to shift their immediate focus to the 29-year-old Villa captain. Tielemans still has two years remaining on his contract at Villa Park, meaning any deal would require a significant transfer fee.

Tielemans joined Aston Villa on a free transfer from Leicester City in 2023 and has become a central figure under Unai Emery, making over 130 appearances in all competitions. Last season he contributed two goals and seven assists across 35 games as Villa qualified for the Champions League and won the Europa League.

On the international stage, Tielemans captained Belgium at the World Cup and helped guide them to the quarter-finals, though he missed Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Spain after suffering a hamstring strain in the warm-up.

United’s push to reinforce their midfield has grown more urgent following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s knee ligament injury, sustained during Uruguay’s group-stage loss to Spain. The club agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea last week for Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, and Tielemans would represent a further significant addition to that rebuild.

Should Tielemans push for a move to Old Trafford, it would be a considerable setback for Villa, who built much of their European campaign around his influence in the engine room.