Tielemans joins Manchester United for £35m, inheriting Casemiro's No.18 shirt

Youri Tielemans has completed his move to Manchester United from Aston Villa, with the club activating the £35 million release clause in the Belgian midfielder’s contract. He takes the No.18 shirt vacated by Casemiro, whose contract at Old Trafford expired this summer.

The number carries significant weight in United’s recent history. Bruno Fernandes wore it before switching to his preferred No.8, and Paul Scholes also sported it during his time at the club. Tielemans himself wore No.8 at both Leicester City and Aston Villa, making the step up to 18 a notable shift.

Tielemans arrives with strong recent pedigree, having scored in Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory — a match that proved to be his penultimate appearance for the club. United director of football Jason Wilcox described him as “consistently one of the most outstanding midfielders in the Premier League throughout the past seven years.”

The signing addresses a clear need in United’s midfield, coming shortly after the club’s move for Atalanta’s Ederson collapsed earlier this week despite an agreement having been reached. Alongside Tielemans, manager Michael Carrick has also brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea in a separate £50 million deal.

Tielemans spoke warmly about the move: “It’s hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United. Signing for such a special club feels incredible — it is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football. The ambition from everyone at the club is extremely clear; we are all determined to push for the biggest trophies over the coming years.”