John McGinn had 'fat' concerns over new Man Utd midfielder Youri Tielemans

News

FT Desk

Aston Villa captain John McGinn says he was once concerned that Youri Tielemans was "fat" but that he was emphatically proved wrong.

In the summer of 2023, the Belgian midfielder completed a free transfer to Villa from Leicester. He would go on to form a productive midfield partnership with McGinn as the pair would eventually help the club win the Europa League.

But, first impressions weren't great, as McGinn was concerned about his fitness.

"When he signed, I thought good player, [but] slow and unfit, looked a bit fat," the Scotland international said on the Stick to Football podcast.

"Then he took his top off and I’m like, woah, maybe not."

He even tried to tempt his team-mate with some sugary snacks, but Tielemans remained committed to his conditioning.

"I tried to get him to have a can of Coke after the game or eat a cookie on the plane or something, but he’s so driven he just does everything right, to the letter," he added.

Tielemans spent three years at Villa before making a €40 million switch to Manchester United. His competitive debut was one to forget as United lost on the opening day of the campaign to newly promoted Hull City.

He was criticised for his lack of pace and mobility afterwards, but McGinn says they are not his best attributes.

"That myth, I think he’ll always have that with his body shape, but it’s wrong. He’s not going to burst away from you with speed, but that’s not his game," he argued.

"He’s fit as a fiddle and was really reliable for us. He’s not afraid to get people’s standards up, if you’re not playing at his standards in training or his level, he’ll let you know."

As for Villa, McGinn says the club will miss having Tielemans around.

"He’s going to be a big loss for us," McGinn continued. "Unbelievable professional. Work rate, quality. Just a good teammate and all-round good guy, but he’s got quality as well. He can find a pass, he can score a brilliant goal. I’m talking about the complete player here.

"We’re going to lose him on and off the pitch, he’s a top player and so determined to win. That’s the one thing that I’ll maybe miss from a lot of the players [who have left Aston Villa this summer], the mentality when the going’s getting tough. I’ve got no doubts that Youri at United, he’ll deliver that, definitely."