Youri Tielemans joined Aston Villa on a free transfer in July 2023 and initially took time to cement his place in Unai Emery’s starting lineup.
The Belgium international has been a starter for Aston Villa this season, playing 53 games and managing five goals and 10 assists in the process.
Tielemans is with the national team preparing for the World Cup qualifiers against Wales later today. On Sunday, the Aston Villa player spoke to the Belgian reporters and [Sudinfo](https://www.sudinfo.be/id1005632/article/2025-06-08/ce-encaisse-contre-la-macedoine-cetait-vraiment-stupide-de-ma-part-youri) have relayed his comments.
The 28-year-old believes he’s fit enough to start for De Rode Duivels against Wales, after their 1-1 draw against North Macedonia last week.
_“We’re used to playing a lot of matches, recovering between games. So, I didn’t feel tired in Skopje. It must be said that I spent 60 minutes on the bench \[laughs\]. But now I’m ready to play and represent the country this Monday,”_ he said.
The midfielder knows he’s made progress at Aston Villa under Emery’s orders this season, which was one of the best seasons of his career so far.
_“Of course, I was able to score five goals and provide 10 assists this season. But I was also influential in my team’s play. I’ve been consistent and I think I’ve improved throughout the season,”_ Tielemans explained.
The former Leicester City man has a contract until 2027 and has made it clear he has confidence from both Emery and the club. Despite this, the Aston Villa player hasn’t closed the door on a potential exit this summer.
_“There’s nothing definitive or ruled out about whether I’ll stay or leave. But I feel good at Aston Villa; I feel a lot of confidence from the club and the manager,”_ he added.
Aston Villa won’t have to be concerned just yet as there hasn’t been claims of concrete interest from other clubs.