Youri Tielemans: The summer transfer window's hottest property

Manchester United, Chelsea and PSG are all following the Anderlecht midfielder closely, but will have to wait until the end of the season to sign the €20 million-rated Belgian

Youri Tielemans does not have the CV of a Lionel Messi or a Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Anderlecht ace holds the promise of a great future. At only 18 years old, the new Belgium international, twice named Best Young Player in the Jupiler Pro League, is already making many big European clubs salivate.

Marc Wilmots has not yet offered Tielemans a start with the Red Devils, but the national team coach did not hesistate calling him up for the first time in June. A week does not pass without the teenager midfielder, whose Anderlecht contract is up in 2020, being watched by a big side. It is a level of expectation that demands justification, for he has only scored three goals and delivered one assist in 14 league matches this season.

The native of Leeuw-Saint-Pierre is in the midst of a difficult period. “It’s to be expected for someone of his age. We’ve put him under a lot of pressure. Even if he’s already a champion, who has played in a cup final and who has Champions League experience, it’s only the start of his career,” Besnik Hasik explained in a press conference last week. For the Anderlecht coach, “in ideal conditions, he would make a good No.8."







Tielemans is not simply a box-to-box runner. With the youth side, he played higher up the field, allowing him to gain confidence and participate more in the game. Today, he has become the perfect partner for Steven Defour and Leander Dendoncker.

To play in the biggest leagues is not a gift given to everyone, but team-mate Fabrice N’Sakala is sure it can happen for Tielemans.

“He’s quite a complete player," the former Troyes full-back explained. "He can play with both feet and does not hesitate to alternate between a short and long game. His dribbling is excellent and in the changing room he’s one of the guys who likes a laugh. He’s a joker, but he can listen too."

The qualities of Tielemans are well proven, because, as Anderlecht boss Besnik Hasi says: “Players of 18 who play almost all the time do not grow on trees.” He has echoed the sentiments of the player's representatives, who have proclaimed him to be an extremely talented player who knows where he wants to go.

His entourage told Goal that he will not miss any steps of his development. Tielemans is a native of Anderlecht, a club to which he owes a great deal. He does not wish to leave by going to war with the board but he is still thinking seriously of his future, especially as the numerous rumours concerning him have made headlines in the local press.


Many clubs have made their interest for the young midfielder known, with Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham and Manchester United the sides most closely following him. But, on the other hand, the gifted Belgian has no intention of making a move this winter. These three clubs must wait until next summer to do battle for his services.

Even if he knows that many clubs are interested in him, Tielemans wishes to take his time to choose the club that will allow him to best progress. The prodigy, who claimed the title of Golden Boy 2015 awarded by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, will not choose the team that will play him as a starter as soon as he arrives, but instead select the project best suited to his improvement.

The winning bidder will have to pay €20 million, which corresponds to his release clause. By then, the midfielder will certainly have achieved more, as he has already gained many fans and now has the opportunity to convince more of his rise to prominence in the coming weeks, starting with Thursday's Europa League clash with Monaco.