Youri Tielemans Joins Manchester United for £35m: A Steal According to Obi Mikel
Manchester United have made plenty of expensive mistakes in midfield over the past decade. This one, according to two men who know the position inside out, is the opposite.
For John Obi Mikel, United’s £35m move for Youri Tielemans is not just smart business. It’s the standout midfield signing of the entire summer.
On The Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea anchor didn’t bother hiding his disbelief.
“For me, it’s Youri Tielemans. Honestly, how the f*ck did Manchester United get him for £35m? That’s a f*cking steal,” Mikel said. “I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player.”
That last word carried weight. Mikel has shared midfields with some of the best of his era. He knows what a complete operator looks like.
“He Can Play as a Six, an Eight or a Ten”
What really excites him is Tielemans’ tactical range. United have long searched for balance in the middle of the pitch. Mikel believes the Belgian arrives as a ready-made solution across multiple roles.
“Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten,” he explained. “When you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy.”
This is not just about versatility for its own sake. Mikel painted the picture of a midfielder who influences every phase:
“He scores goals, he’s dangerous from set pieces, he’s brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away.”
The only caveat, and it’s one critics have mentioned for years, is his lack of raw pace. Mikel brushed that aside.
“The only thing people can say is that he’s not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.”
In a window dominated by headline fees and speculative gambles, Mikel’s verdict is clear: United have landed proven quality at a cut price.
Alderweireld: Forget the Stats, Watch the Player
Mikel is not alone. Another high-profile Belgian, former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld, sees the same value – but from a different angle.
Speaking to Hajper, Alderweireld pushed back against the modern obsession with numbers on a screen.
“The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,” he said. “Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that.”
The key word for Alderweireld is courage. Tielemans, in his eyes, is the midfielder who dares to play the pass that changes the game, not the one that simply protects his passing percentage.
“Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward,” Alderweireld said.
“You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that’s very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down.”
That line cuts straight to United’s recurring problem. Too often in recent seasons, they have suffocated their own attacks with safe, sideways possession. Alderweireld believes Tielemans is wired differently.
Built for Old Trafford Pressure
It is not just the passing angles or set-piece threat that convince Alderweireld. It is the mentality to keep asking for the ball when Old Trafford demands a spark.
“Even when he’s playing in a deep role, he’s playing it in an attacking way. He’s thinking about going forwards, always,” he said. “Sometimes he will lose the ball but that’s what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that’s something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt.”
The image he paints is of a midfielder who wants responsibility, not one who hides behind the easy option.
“He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team-mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.”
Between Mikel’s blunt admiration and Alderweireld’s detailed breakdown, a clear picture emerges: United have not just bought a passer or a set-piece specialist. They have brought in a risk-taker, a connector, a player who wants the ball when the stadium is tense and the game is stuck.
For £35m, the expectation is simple. Tielemans has been backed to change the way United move the ball. Now he has to do it under the brightest lights he has ever known.
