Manchester United have activated a £35 million release clause for Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to reports.
Tielemans has a contract valid at Villa Park until 2028, but United have identified the 29-year-old as a perfect fit for their midfield after the Brazilian player Ederson was set to join the Old Trafford club for £38.8 million, including add-ons.
Ederson’s move is on the verge of being confirmed a failure following complexities with a knee injury he suffered last season, while United have responded by hunting down another Brazilian, Chelsea’s Andrey Santos.
Villa have no desire to sell Tielemans and offered him a new contract in recent months, but due to United’s desire and activation of the player’s clause, it is now down to Tielemans to decide whether he wants to switch.
Contact is still ongoing between all parties to finalise the move, according toThe Athletic’s David Ornstein, which comes as something of a surprise but would add plenty of quality – alongside Santos – in the centre of Michael Carrick’s side.
After losing Casemiro last season and facing the majority of the upcoming Premier League campaign without Manuel Ugarte, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, United need depth if they are to succeed domestically and in Europe.
The Red Devils qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2023/24 after Carrick led a renaissance following the departure of Ruben Amorim at the start of the year.
Alongside Tielemans, United agreed a £50 million deal with Chelsea for Santos five days ago, and he will likely take part in United training on Thursday when the majority of contracted players report for pre-season training, if all formalities of his move are completed by then.
United were interested in Elliot Anderson, who starred for Nottingham Forest last season, but were beaten by Manchester City, who agreed a deal worth £116 million, becoming the second most expensive British signing behind Jude Bellingham’s £125 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2023.