A former Manchester United star handed his debut by Louis van Gaal has been out of the game for two years now but remains confident his career is far from over as he looks for a new club
Neil Docking, Simon Peach PA Chief Football Writer and Sean McCormick
14:53, 02 Jul 2025
Timothy Fosu-Mensah's football career has hit the rocks
Timothy Fosu-Mensah's football career has hit the rocks(Image: ANP via Getty Images)
A former Manchester United star is hoping his hard graft "won't go unnoticed" as he hunts for a new club after a two-year hiatus from competitive action.
Ajax academy graduate Timothy Fosu-Mensah carved out a solid reputation at Old Trafford, climbing the ranks to clock up 30 appearances for the first team, a tally that could have been higher if not for loan stints and injury woes.
But the defender's career hit a snag with an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on loan at Fulham in 2019, followed by another blow in February 2021 during his spell with Bayer Leverkusen, restricting him to a mere seven league matches.
Now back on his feet after those hurdles, the 27-year-old is keen to kickstart his career after a season without a club. "Last season was the first time in my career that I've spent without a team," Fosu-Mensah revealed to PA, reports the Manchester Evening News.
"It's quite early and I think quite strange for people at this age. I know I've been putting in the work and hard work won't go unnoticed. That's what I believe.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah (back row, left) was part of a Manchester United side that won the Europa League
Timothy Fosu-Mensah (back row, left) was part of a Manchester United side that won the Europa League(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
Article continues below
"If you stay at home, do nothing and then think 'boom, OK, I'm going to go this club or that club', no, that's not how it works, that's not my mentality. It's definitely a fresh start and I've been working hard."
Despite his last match being way back in April 2023, Fosu-Mensah is bullish about his return to the pitch, pointing to his fitness regime and the comeback stories of other players.
After leaving Bayer without a single appearance during their victorious 2023-24 season, Fosu-Mensah has opened up about feeling stronger than ever, both mentally and physically.
Even though he was fit and ready on the bench for most of the season, he grappled with more unsettling issues after his release last summer.
"There was a couple of situations with agents here and there, which was a bit of a mess," he revealed. "People were speaking on my name who I never even had contact with.
"I would say like 80% of the agents who were approaching clubs and people I didn't even know, who I didn't even had contact with. I think that was a big mess."
He admitted to talks about a potential move to the Championship during the winter – "some of them I was aware of, some of them I wasn't,".
His subsequent five-month stint with Ajax turned out to be beneficial, where he trained with both the reserves and first team, played in closed-door matches, and kept up with daily summer workouts in pursuit of a comeback.
Chatting from his home in the Netherlands after one such training session, alongside Brian Brobbey and Steven Bergwijn, Fosu-Mensah shared his ongoing love for United.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah claps as Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial celebrate
Fosu-Mensah has been a free agent for the last year(Image: Getty Images)
"I'll always be a fan of United," he declared. "Always. I joined when I was 16, I left when I was 23. I've had many brilliant moments, bagged a few trophies, particularly in my first season.
"We all know United, we all know the history of United, we all know what United stands for.
"Even this last season the Premier League was tough for them but they made it to the Europa League final, so it's something in the DNA of the club that they always want to win trophies.
"I have studied the manager (Ruben Amorim) and I have got a bit of an idea how he plays and what he expects from his players.
Article continues below
"Jeremiah St Juste from Sporting Lisbon is a good mate of mine and he had high praise for the manager, so I'm confident that United have brought in a top gaffer."