Man United Move Closer to £36m Youri Tielemans Deal After Triggering Release Clause

Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans after reportedly activating the Belgian international’s release clause.

According to reports, the Premier League giants are prepared to pay a fee of about £36 million, with negotiations progressing rapidly following Belgium’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The report said United have triggered the release clause in Tielemans’ contract, a move expected to accelerate the completion of the transfer as the club continues to strengthen its midfield ahead of the new season.

If the deal is finalised, the 29-year-old would become one of Manchester United’s key summer acquisitions as the club seeks to bolster its squad for the upcoming campaign.

Tielemans joined Aston Villa on a free transfer from Leicester City in 2023 and quickly established himself as one of the club’s most influential midfielders under manager Unai Emery.

During his three seasons at Villa Park, he made 134 appearances, scored 10 goals and played a significant role in the club’s recent success.

The Belgian international helped Villa secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League on two occasions, reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition and lift the UEFA Europa League title last season. He also scored the opening goal in Villa’s Europa League final victory over Freiburg.

Before moving to Aston Villa, Tielemans enjoyed a successful spell at Leicester City, where he won both the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield, earning a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted midfielders.

Manchester United have already strengthened their midfield this summer after agreeing a reported £50 million deal for Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, and the pursuit of Tielemans signals the club’s determination to further reinforce the centre of the pitch.

The move also follows reports from Sky Italia that United have ended their interest in Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with Tielemans now emerging as the club’s preferred midfield target.

Neither Manchester United nor Aston Villa had officially confirmed the transfer at the time of filing this report.