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‘Kind of place every footballer dreams of playing in’: Manchester Utd's Tielemans on playing at Old Trafford
Tielemans opened up about his decision to join Manchester United and working with Michael Carrick.
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Manchester United and Belgium star Youri Tielemans spoke on playing at the club's iconic Old Trafford stadium, saying that it is a kind of atmosphere every footballer dreams of playing in. He also highlighted the level of ambition present within the players at the Red Devils.
Manchester United chase their second win of the Premier League campaign after another setback against arch-rivals Manchester City. They look to climb the table, with new signing Tielemans expected to add experience and quality to the midfield after registering four assists in 25 appearances for Aston Villa last season.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Tielemans opened up about his decision to join Manchester United, working with Michael Carrick, and the responsibility of setting an example for the club’s younger players.
On joining the club, Tielemans said that it is a good step for him to "push on and hopefully win many titles".
"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. Also, last season, in the second half, Manchester United went on a really good run of wins under Michael Carrick (finishing fourth after a poor start to the season). The players have always been top quality and the signings this summer have been smart too. To play alongside them is going to be really good," he said.
Speaking on playing at the iconic Old Trafford previously as a part of Aston Villa, "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. The atmosphere, the crowd, everything about it was amazing. It is the kind of place every footballer dreams of playing in."
“Looking forward to learn from Carrick”
Tielemans said that learning from Michael Carrick, who himself represented the club from 2016-18, helps him as they both are midfielders.
"Carrick was a midfielder, and that is 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 am really looking forward to learn from him and obviously to link up with my teammates," he said.
Speaking on becoming a role model for the upcoming generation of players at the club, Tielemans said that he hopes to be someone that young kids could copy in the changing room, at the gym during their preparations.
"I want to show them the right way to train, look after themselves, and handle the pressure. If they can learn from what I do and have a great career, that would make me very proud. It is about passing on the standards. When you are a senior player, you have a responsibility to help the next generation. I take that seriously. The young lads here are hungry to learn, and it is up to us to guide them," he signed off.
Manchester United will next play Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
