[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Feb 5, 1995 (21)
Brussel

1.82 m

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Januzaj, who signed a new five-year contract with the Reds on 19 October 2013, joined the club in 2011 from Anderlecht, one of the top clubs in Belgium - the country of his birth. Many observers eagerly anticipated him pulling on a red shirt and he did not disappoint, showing off his ability on the ball from the moment he started playing for United at Under-18 level. Playing with an upright style, always looking at the options open to him, he was threatening to become a key figure for former Under-18s manager Paul McGuinness after opening his goal account against Crewe Alexandra.

The Belgian forward broke into the first team in 2013/14 and later earned the iconic no.11 shirt following the retirement of Ryan Giggs. Opportunities were limited in 2014/15 under the management of Louis van Gaal, however, with Ashley Young and Angel Di Maria dominating the wide positions, and he then spent half of the 2015/16 campaign on loan at Borussia Dortmund featuring very little.

Adnan is a beautifully-balanced player. He's only 18 and has to grow into his frame but he has good balance, good acceleration and is a very good technical player.”

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[shamans]

I am young so this doesn't mean that much, but in my years of watching youth players come through the system I have yet to see anyone better than Januzaj.

To me his cieling is way higher than the likes of Rashford or Perreira. Personally, I think he has been unlucky so far. Van Gaal, the Dortmund thing, played out of position etc.

This has to be the deciding season. He either ressurects himself or he leaves to another club.

 

[Nighteyes]

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Great stuff. He obviously has to work on improving his game but you have all the ingredients of very good attacking player at the very least.

Really really hope he makes it but I'm not expecting Mourinho to give him chances

 

[as-95]

People forget just how good he was in his first season. He has stagnated since, but he is still only 21.

He is younger than Memphis and has shown more in the Premier League than Memphis has, so anyone who thinks Memphis can turn it around should automatically think the same for Adnan too.

If he works hard in the gym, on the training ground and learns from his mate Henrikh, he could have a future here. The RW/CAM slot is still up for grabs (depending on where Mkhi plays), so Januzaj will start the season hungry to prove his doubters wrong.

 

[caisenma]

How'd he do today?

 

[Nighteyes]

How'd he do today?

ok. Neat and tidy but nothing spectacular.

 

[Loublaze]

ok. Neat and tidy but nothing spectacular.

This is becoming the norm for him

 

[limerickcitykid]

This is becoming the norm for him

As well as just about every player in the squad.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

I think neat and tidy is better than the norm usually he tries to do it all himself and shows poor teamwork shooting from ridiculous angles and trying to take his man over and over. He looks very strong now though, even stronger than a few months ago, his link up play and vision is excellent so if he can play unselfishly and make the best out of the cameos he will get over preseason he could get a few games this season. Would love for him to establish himself as one of our go to subs.

 

[Nighteyes]

I think neat and tidy is better than the norm usually he tries to do it all himself and shows poor teamwork shooting from ridiculous angles and trying to take his man over and over. He looks very strong now though, even stronger than a few months ago, his link up play and vision is excellent so if he can play unselfishly and make the best out of the cameos he will get over preseason he could get a few games this season. Would love for him to establish himself as one of our go to subs.

Would agree with this.

 

[ChaddyP]

He has it in him to take Memphis' spot. Still has alot of kinks to work out

 

[limerickcitykid]

I think neat and tidy is better than the norm usually he tries to do it all himself and shows poor teamwork shooting from ridiculous angles and trying to take his man over and over. He looks very strong now though, even stronger than a few months ago, his link up play and vision is excellent so if he can play unselfishly and make the best out of the cameos he will get over preseason he could get a few games this season. Would love for him to establish himself as one of our go to subs.

Which is good too because getting to the byline and taking a man on has never been what he is actually good at. The less he tries to be the new Giggs the better.

 

[anant]

Have a feeling that this may be the season where other clubs also realise how good he is. SHould he manage to get decent gametime, he may have a great season

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Alongside players like Mkhitaryan and Ibra I think he could really flourish on all that movement and quality. Him and Miki would really interchange position well which would bring the best out of them both I think. Personally would much rather we give him and chance than players like fellaini and even Mata.

 

[Dan]

Has he bulked up?

 

[LouisDanGaal]

Has he bulked up?

Definitely

 

[stevoc]

What position did he play today?

 

[m1y2]

Tbh I wasn't entirely excited by his performance. I still expect more from him but at least he looked like a team player. I would still give him more game time than to mata fella or even memphis he has that potential.

 

[pascell]

Has he bulked up?

IIRC he posted a video of him working out on his Instagram or twitter, looked more bulky and held off a few players today too.

 

[Scarecrow]

Has he bulked up?

He's been bulking up for the last two years. Looks bigger every time I see him (which has been once every two months or so, to be fair). His whole look has changed quite a bit recently. Late puberty.

IIRC he posted a video of him working out on his Instagram or twitter, looked more bulky and held off a few players today too.

Yeah, it was mostly functional training though - balancing exercises, core stabilizing etc. Something you imagine footballers doing. Then Memphis posted a video of his own a few days later, except he was doing curls, crunches and push ups.

 

[XdanielredX]

Read a report Boro are after him and apparently they are just waiting on Mou's decision.

Hopefully he gives him a season at least, of decent game time, he said it himself in his good season how highly he rated him, would think Mou of all people would remember that and accept the challenge of getting him back there.

Plus as someone said, I think he has it in him to take Memphis's or Lingard's and even Mata's place in the team if he gets back to playing any kind of football near his first season.

Hope we don't just give up on him and lose him on a whim. He could be great.

 

[NotQuiteManc]

If the Boro deal is one year loan only, I think it would good for him. Getting alot of games, playing in the league (except vs United of course - if they still insist on that clause) and probably getting some runs in the Cup would only be good for him to get back into things. If a full transfer deal, let's hope it will include buyback clause used by teams like Barca and Real. If not, United can always apply the "come back home" scheme a'la Barca.

 

[khoazany]

His balance is still questionable I think he should work on that.Still too easy to fall down when challenged which is not the worst thing but we don't have any good senior freekick takers in the team.

 

[AN17]

Deserves another chance. But he needs to play regularly to improve his decision making and end product.Can't see that unless Jose shifts Mkhi into the middle and play Adnan at RW. And that needs benching Rooney. Maybe a loan to Bournemouth or Warford would be ideal.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Has gotten even slower and cant really brush past defenders to use his creativity, even his touch seems a bit heavier since he bulked up, maybe it's just pre season.

 

[pocco]

My main hope this season is that Adnan can at least rediscover his form he had under Moyes. Van Gaal has wasted two years of his development and this lad was a serious talent. I'd be gutted if he can't become the player he probably would have become had LVG not been here.

 

[pocco]

There's a story from The Sun (i know) saying that Januzaj and Jones have really impressed Mourinho in pre season training and have forced their way into his plans.

 

[Womp]

My main hope this season is that Adnan can at least rediscover his form he had under Moyes. Van Gaal has wasted two years of his development and this lad was a serious talent. I'd be gutted if he can't become the player he probably would have become had LVG not been here.

Doubt it has anything to do with LVG tbh. He moved to Dortmund and Tuchel basically said it was a mentality thing with him.

 

[pocco]

Doubt it has anything to do with LVG tbh. He moved to Dortmund and Tuchel basically said it was a mentality thing with him.

He shouldn't have been going out on loan in the first place. LVG had a big part to play in it. Shite man-management in starting him for four games then sending him to Dortmund.

The mentality thing is a bit overblown, too. You make it sound like he had a poor mentality on the pitch, when Tuchel basically said that Adnan was too hung up on Manchester United.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

He shouldn't have been going out on loan in the first place. LVG had a big part to play in it. Shite man-management in starting him for four games then sending him to Dortmund.

The mentality thing is a bit overblown, too. You make it sound like he had a poor mentality on the pitch, when Tuchel basically said that Adnan was too hung up on Manchester United.

Maybe that is actually the problem with Adnan. That he should be focused on being a footballer fullstop, not just a Manchester United footballer. If he is so hung up on us and doesn't make it, then I cannot see him making it anywhere. If he focused on the first thing he might actually have a great career.

 

[mufcwarm92]

He's far too talented to let waste away so I'm delighted that it looks like he'll get a proper chance under Mourinho.

 

[as-95]

Pathetic sources but apparently he is linked to Middlesborough. Needs regular playing time so I wouldn't say no to a loan or selling him with a buy-back. Karanka and Jose are quite close too so this may help negotiations.

He should have completed a similar loan last season to a lower level premier league side instead of sitting on the bench at Dortmund.

 

[Devil may care]

A season loan to Middlesborough might be a good idea for him.

 

[thejtrain]

I think neat and tidy is better than the norm usually he tries to do it all himself and shows poor teamwork shooting from ridiculous angles and trying to take his man over and over. He looks very strong now though, even stronger than a few months ago, his link up play and vision is excellent so if he can play unselfishly and make the best out of the cameos he will get over preseason he could get a few games this season. Would love for him to establish himself as one of our go to subs.

He's one of those players that can really leave you frustrated in that role when you're chasing a game needing a goal. He's best played as a starter in home games against low-key opposition or loaned out. (Boro is a good shout IMO!)

 

[caisenma]

Id never trust the sun, but at least this is positive noise for a change.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/foot...st-midfielder-dazzles-in-pre-season-training/

 

[LouisDanGaal]

He's one of those players that can really leave you frustrated in that role when you're chasing a game needing a goal. He's best played as a starter in home games against low-key opposition or loaned out. (Boro is a good shout IMO!)

I would take the boro loan all day long.

 

[pocco]

I wouldn't loan him anywhere, these clubs don't look after our interests (as you'd expect). If we have hopes for him making it here then he needs game time here, it's that simple. If we can give him a real consistent run of games, even from the bench, it'll get him going again. If we did this then before too long he'd put in a good cameo, his confidence will rise and he'll build from there.

 

[Speak]

He probably wouldn't play that much at Middlesborough anyway, to be honest.

 

[shamans]

Can't believe he was 18 there.

 

[Mark Pawelek]

Which is good too because getting to the byline and taking a man on has never been what he is actually good at. The less he tries to be the new Giggs the better.

Not what he's known for but he can actually do that and put in a dangerous cross from the left. Not something I've seen Martial or Memphis do.