Youri Tielemans: United ace’s key strengths explained by ex-coach Van Handenhoven

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Youri Tielemans made his much-anticipated debut for Manchester United during the 1-1 pre-season draw against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last weekend. The Belgian midfielder came off the bench to replace another new signing, Andrey Santos, in the 65th minute and gave a fine account of himself.

United signed Tielemans from Aston Villa this summer in a bid to reinforce a midfield weakened by the departure of Casemiro. Against the Ligue 1 champions in pre-season, the 29 year old registered 22 touches of the ball in the 25 minutes he was on the pitch, managing 21 passes with 100% accuracy.

Tielemans also registered one key pass and won one duel, highlighting his wide repertoire of skills. Fresh from winning the Europa League with the Villans, the Belgian’s experience could also be a welcome addition to the dressing room.

Youri Tielemans Stats: 2025/26 Season

Tielemans’ former coach at Anderlecht, Gunter Van Handenhoven, has now provided a fascinating insight into the player’s skillset.

Tielemans’ two key strengths outlined

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Van Handenhoven said that Tielemans’ ability to shoot and his passing prowess were clear right from his formative years. He said: “From the start, you could see the way he handles the ball and his technique. He was most famous for his passing game and shooting from outside the box with his left and right, which was crazy.”

“His passing was always a strength because he’s one of the few midfielders who are always looking for a forward solution. He took a lot of risks in his game, but it really paid off from an early age.”

“His special passing ability is a natural thing. You can teach players whatever you want, but teaching a player how to recognise spaces, moments, and scanning is so, so difficult. It was second nature for Youri.”

“He could see the spaces, make switches of play to change sides, and had the ability to execute those passes. This is what makes him special.”

Tielemans’ versatility will be key for United

Tielemans is comfortable carrying out various roles in the middle of the park, and has played as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder and attacking midfielder in his career. Van Handenhoven went on to explain how the Belgian international has evolved his game over the years.

He said: “I think over the years his game has evolved because he has a great passing game and he’s the link between build-up and attack, you know? His strength is having the game in front of him.”

“I think this is why it’s a natural transition that he comes more in a position of number eight or number six, and what he developed across the years is his ability to recover balls and get from that position to an attacking position, in a transition moment.”

“He’s not the guy who’s just asking the ball, no, no, he’s running a lot, covering a lot of distance, a lot of ground, and you see his game has changed.”

Final Thoughts

Tielemans’ calmness and qualities were evident against PSG and all signs indicate that he could turn out to be a shrewd bit of business for United. Fans will now be eager to see how the Belgian fits in alongside Kobbie Mainoo at the heart of the Red Devils’ midfield.