Youri Tielemans aims to draw on Old Trafford atmosphere after Manchester United move

Youri Tielemans says the atmosphere at Old Trafford can inspire him as he begins life as a Manchester United player, having previously experienced the stadium as an Aston Villa opponent.

The Belgium international described his first visit to the ground as one of the most significant moments of his career, saying he had never seen a stadium of that size.

“Manchester United is a massive club. Playing at Old Trafford for the first time as an opponent was a big moment for me. I had never seen a stadium that big in my life,” Tielemans told Jio Hotstar.

“The atmosphere, the crowd, everything about it was amazing. It’s the kind of place every footballer dreams of playing in.”

Tielemans signed a contract with Manchester United in July that runs until June 2031. He made seven assists for Aston Villa last season and helped them win the UEFA Europa League, scoring the opening goal in the final against SC Freiburg.

He is now set to experience Old Trafford’s atmosphere as a home player, with Manchester United attempting to recover from an inconsistent opening to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign.

The club have taken four points from their first four league matches. They lost to Hull City, beat Ipswich Town 5-2, drew with Everton and then suffered a 0-1 defeat by Manchester City in the Manchester derby.

Tielemans believes Manchester United possess the ambition and quality required to compete for major honours, and views the move as an important stage in his development.

“There is a lot of ambition inside this club, and a lot of quality. This is a good step for me to push on and hopefully win many titles here,” he said.

Tielemans looking forward to working with Carrick

The midfielder also welcomed the opportunity to work under Michael Carrick, the former England and Manchester United midfielder who is now in charge of the club.

“Carrick was a midfielder, and that’s a huge advantage for me because he can give me a lot of tips, and I can learn from him inside his structure, so I’m really looking forward to learning from him and, obviously, to linking up with my teammates,” Tielemans said.

He also hopes his own experience will allow him to support Manchester United’s younger players as they continue to develop.

Tielemans said senior professionals had influenced him when he was growing up, both through their conduct away from matches and through the way they prepared for games.

“When you grow up as a young kid, you look up to those senior players. You try to copy what they do in the changing room and in the gym and how they prepare to be the best. That example stays with you,” he said.

“So hopefully I can be that example for the young guys coming through here. I want to show them the right way to train, look after themselves, and handle the pressure,” he added.