Adnan Januzaj

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Manchester United are close to tying Adnan Januzaj to a long-term contract to recognise his emergence as a player Sir Alex Ferguson has described as "one of the most promising talents" to come through the club's youth team.
Januzaj, an 18-year-old Belgian signed from Anderlecht two years ago, came on for Robin van Persie as a substitute in the Community Shield on Sunday and will be part of David Moyes's squad when the Premier League champions begin their defence at Swansea City on Saturday.
United are keen to recognise his potential and not risk losing him in the manner of Paul Pogba, who was also highly rated by United's coaching staff but offered only a small salary and eventually left for Juventus. Talks have already taken place about a new contract and an agreement is not far off.
Januzaj, an attacking, left-footed wide player, has played a prominent part in United's pre-season schedule, with Moyes and previously Ferguson confident he is ready to move up to the first-team squad.

From Guardian.
 
Manchester United close to finalising long-term deal for Adnan Januzaj

• 18-year-old Belgian signed from Anderlecht two years ago
• Januzaj in squad for United's visit to Swansea on Saturday

Manchester United are close to tying Adnan Januzaj to a long-term contract to recognise his emergence as a player Sir Alex Ferguson has described as "one of the most promising talents" to come through the club's youth team.

Januzaj, an 18-year-old Belgian signed from Anderlecht two years ago, came on for Robin van Persie as a substitute in the Community Shield on Sunday and will be part of David Moyes's squad when the Premier League champions begin their defence at Swansea City on Saturday.

United are keen to recognise his potential and not risk losing him in the manner of Paul Pogba, who was also highly rated by United's coaching staff but offered only a small salary and eventually left for Juventus. Talks have already taken place about a new contract and an agreement is not far off.

Januzaj, an attacking, left-footed wide player, has played a prominent part in United's pre-season schedule, with Moyes and previously Ferguson confident he is ready to move up to the first-team squad.
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http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/14/manchester-united-adnan-januzaj

Edit: Oh screw you KM. I'm keeping mine cos it's prettier.
 
Brightonian said:
Well that's a lot of different excuses. Scholes hit his peak as a midfielder, he's hardly a case of a skillful player moving into midfield to die. Carrick is one of our most skillful players, again he certainly goes against your point. Modric and Wilshere, as you say, are further examples. Fair enough Toure started at Barca but if anything he's become a better player (and certainly a more important one) in City's midfield, where the full range of his abilities is better utilised. Arteta didn't have the qualities required from a winger, as you say, but did have the qualities required to make it as a CM - and for a good team strong in that department, Arsenal. That strikes me as another decent counter-example.

I agree that in England, like Brazil, the #10 position is where the best players often end up, as opposed to Spain where there's more of a balance between attacking and central midfielders (partly because there's less defensive onus on a CM in Spain). But to say that in the PL central midfield is 'where skillful players go to die' is just nonsense.
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Well they obviously don't go there to die either, that phrase was poetic license.

The point is, we stick our most technical players further up the pitch when they're young and then scramble about La Liga to buy ready made midfielders for our first teams. There'll be the a few exceptions to the rule and I can't deny that, but I'll stand by those "excuses" inasmuch as they illustrate the gist of what I'm getting at.
 
Tying him down to a long term contract in my eyes, is just as important as any signing we could make this year.
 
Dante said:
Well they obviously don't go there to die either, that phrase was poetic license.

The point is, we stick our most technical players further up the pitch when they're young and then scramble about La Liga to buy ready made midfielders for our first teams. There'll be the a few exceptions to the rule and I can't deny that, but I'll stand by those "excuses" inasmuch as they illustrate the gist of what I'm getting at.
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I think Scholes, Carrick, Modric, Wilshere, Arteta, and Toure constitute more than a 'few exceptions'. Not to mention that there are plenty of others. Gerrard and Lampard might be worth a shout - both have featured in the Fifa World XI (Gerrard three times).

Fabregas is another interesting example. Used as a CM in England, where he was at his best. Employed in more advanced roles for Barca, where he has never quite reached the same heights.

The evidence mounts up, no?
 
We got some real potential coming out, tying them down to a long term contract should be our priority. Forget about signing new players.
 
Castia said:
Steady on :P
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He's potentially right though. I hate to bring Pogba up but using him as an example. What his value now? Januzaj is worth ££ to the club. If he reaches his potential, who knows? It is important we get him tied down and hopefully he can have a great career at United. If not? Ensure we get a good price for him. The Pogba debacle should never be repeated. We lost potentially a 20million pound player. It should never happen.
 
http://www.voetbalnieuws.be/news/70536/Januzaj_negeert_België_en_kiest_voor_Albanië

The career of Adnan Januzaj is gaining momentum. Since this season, he is part of the first team of Manchester United and there the Belgian with Albanian roots several times already know in the spotlight to play. Yet it is possible that he never will be Red Devil.


Friday lost United, 1-3 against Sevilla. Bright spot in the English superpower again Januzaj, who first played a home game in the first team of The Red Devils . The eighteen-year-old winger gave an assist and joked several times with the Spanish defenders. He also received praise from including Rio Ferdinand . However, it remains doubtful whether it will ever come true talent. for the Red Devils The News reports: that he, under pressure from his father, especially for Albania would choose. That could well be true, since Januzaj so far has refused. Selections for all Belgian youth teams
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Interesting if true.

Would think that Belgium over Albania is a nobrainer.
 
I will start hating him if he doesn't choose Albania. Not really though, but it will be a shame missing on another one. The incompetent idiots didn't ever call Shaqiri and if something similar happens there, well I wouldn't be surprised. Xhaka, Shaqiri, Behrami, Berisha (Norway) would make Albania a much stronger team than what it is, but where their FA is run by corrupted cnuts you can't expect better.
 
Really hope he chooses Belgium...

Two of the 'Red Devil' mentions in the text were references to the Belgian national team by the way, not United.
 
Revan said:
I will start hating him if he doesn't choose Albania. Not really though, but it will be a shame missing on another one. The incompetent idiots didn't ever call Shaqiri and if something similar happens there, well I wouldn't be surprised. Xhaka, Shaqiri, Behrami, Berisha (Norway) would make Albania a much stronger team than what it is, but where their FA is run by corrupted cnuts you can't expect better.
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The same can be said about Turkey, Ozil and Gunodogan to name a couple, but then I always get stick for wishing they chose Turkey over Germany.
 
Genius Me! said:
The same can be said about Turkey, Ozil and Gunodogan to name a couple, but then I always get stick for wishing they chose Turkey over Germany.
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Yeah, it was a debate in a thread (dunno which) when I get stick too for saying that they should have chosen Turkey. Anyway, this time I have selfish reasons too.
 
Revan said:
Yeah, it was a debate in a thread (dunno which) when I get stick too for saying that they should have chosen Turkey. Anyway, this time I have selfish reasons too.
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Yeah that's right I remember, it was in the gundogan thread when I made a comment saying it annoyed me that he didn't choose turkey.
 
His father has just confirmed that he never recommended to Adnan that he should choose Albania, which means that the media who were saying this were probably lying. He also said that he has never received an offer from Albania (the idiots) and at the moment they are not planning to accept an offer from any national teams. On the other side, the captain of Albania, Lorik Cana (Lazio, ex captain of Sunderland and Marseille) has wrote an open letter to him, asking him to choose Albania, and saying that he can become the best Albania player ever.
 
he does look more and more like ozil from this latest video. i hope he is patient enough to wait for his chance now.

who is that no.14 lad at around 3:45? seems to be very massive and muscular.
 
ricky-romeo said:
he does look more and more like ozil from this latest video. i hope he is patient enough to wait for his chance now.

who is that no.14 lad at around 3:45? seems to be very massive and muscular.
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Tyler Blackett
 
gooDevil said:
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Good performance judging by that video, although I missed the game, you could easily single out 5 gif moments from there.

I am really interested too see in which position he will "end up", I didn't really like him too much on right wing in our preseason games, but for the reserves he probably looks best there.
 
Personally think he will deserve a free role behind the striker.

His talent does not need to be tied down, he just needs to be let off the leash and let him do what he wants.

He will pop up all over the pitch and create opportunities.
 
Wow, excellent excellent performance. He looks miles better technically than anyone else on the pitch, certainly than the Liverpool defenders who must have been forced to hack him down what... six, seven times? I'm amazed neither of their full-backs managed to pick up second yellows, there were so many blatant professional fouls.

I agree with Adam, put him wherever you want in the on-paper formation - ideally somewhere in the '3' of a 4231 - and then just let him go wherever on the pitch. He has a knack of finding the spaces where he can do the most damage.
 
He does look like a fantastic prospect and Im really looking forward to seeing him play on the fringes this year. Given our inability to sign a world class playmaker, if he does well in his early games, he may even get a run in the 1st XI ... if you are good enough, you're old enough!

He still needs to 'fill out' as well as acquire alot more experience to help him improve his decision making, but as an 18 year old, he looks as good as any player was at that age. Im sad that SAF was unable to bring him on in his last ever game vs WBA as that symbolism would have been very romantic, but Im sure he knows how much the club believes in him and that he is at the best club in the world for young world class talent.

De Gea, Jones, Januzaj and Welbeck could form the spine of our team for the next decade!
 
That's as good as an example of decision-making from a youngster that I've seen for quite a while. He almost always made the right decision when in possession; when to dribble, when to hold up the ball, when to pass, when to cross - it was very impressive.

This lad is very, very exciting. I hope we see more of him in the first team once these tough opening fixtures are out of the way.
 
I have watched this kid closely, albeit from the comfortable surroundings of my living room, for me he is definitely first team material.

Before i state my reasons, the only other players that i thought would go on to become regular first teamers were Rossi and Pogba, i know Rossi didn't make it for whatever reason but he was class, i think he went on to become a regular in the Italian national team so he can't be too bad and Pogba is now a regular at Juve.

Anyhow, you often come across players in the United Academy, U21 that have the talent and potential to become good players but invariably their chances of them making it in the United first team is usually scarce, for eg players like Lingard, Petrucci maybe good but i very much doubt they will make it at United, i'm sure they will have good careers elsewhere.

Back to Adnan, everything he does oozes class, his touch, control is sublime whereas others tend to lack when they are put into a tight situation or presented with a couple of markers, for me this should be a basic priority to make it at United. Also, players like him are like a magnet to the ball, either his team mates pass the ball to him more as he is likely to do something more productive or in my opinion the really good players like to demand the ball at every possible situation, furthermore, this invariably mean a player of his ilk can play and be comfortable in may positions, i think i have seen him on the right, left, and also in midfield.

More importantly, this for me is probably the crux, people talk about being physically ready, but i recall that George Best, Giggs to name a few were tiny when they played for the first team, before you jump on me i am not comparing Adnan to them, but anyhow for me the most important ability is his final ball, he seems to have that ability and composure to find his team mates either when crossing from the left/crossing or from midfield from tight situations and when double marked, to sum up i think he will be huge talent for us, the only question is not IF but WHEN he will break into the first team.
 
nahealai said:
What about Rafael and Smalling? Both of those look to be destined for great things here too.
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Rafael would not ft the 'central spine' and Im not as sure about Smalling as I am Jones. But agreed that we have great youth that will provide longevity if their talent can mature as we hope.
 
sammsky1 said:
Rafael would not ft the 'central spine' and Im not as sure about Smalling as I am Jones. But agreed that we have great youth that will provide longevity if their talent can mature as we hope.
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You're correct about the 'spine' of the team. However, I see Rafael and Smalling being integral members of the team over the next five-to-six years. Smalling, in particular, is a fantastic defender despite his deficiencies/comfort in possession.
 
I enjoy reading RAWK's youth thread after these games to see what they think of our players, because most of their youth team watchers are actually reasonable.

Seems the majority of them are very impressed with Januzaj, while one or two were trying to play his talent down with some mental gymnastics. Not brilliant for his age :lol: Does he think the kid is 27? he doesn't turn 19 until February
 
Revan said:
His father has just confirmed that he never recommended to Adnan that he should choose Albania, which means that the media who were saying this were probably lying. He also said that he has never received an offer from Albania (the idiots) and at the moment they are not planning to accept an offer from any national teams. On the other side, the captain of Albania, Lorik Cana (Lazio, ex captain of Sunderland and Marseille) has wrote an open letter to him, asking him to choose Albania, and saying that he can become the best Albania player ever.
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I heard that it came from a Belgian youth coach who said he'd rejected every call up they sent him and his dad 'would want him to play for Albania' I would think it was just this coach being presumptuous, and the media jumped on it without thinking
 
rooneyaldo said:
Wow just saw this, what a performance, what was noticeable was his dribbling, he seemed much more willing to take his man on than what we saw in preseason of last season. Seemed much quicker as well.
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He hasn't got blistering pace, but he is quick, particularly over that critical first five yards. Some of the comments in pre-season games about his 'lack of pace' were mystifying. Owen Hargreaves, in the BT commentary box, mentioned this supposed weakness more than once, leading me to conclude he'd never seen Januzaj before. A lot of Caftards picked up on this and repeated it.
 
sammsky1 said:
Rafael would not ft the 'central spine' and Im not as sure about Smalling as I am Jones. But agreed that we have great youth that will provide longevity if their talent can mature as we hope.
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Why not? Bar De Gea, at the moment he is miles better than anyone of them you mentioned.
 
I'd be quite happy for us to use him in attacking midfield role. Allow him to drift about and he'll be like a new signing. He's also probably be a good option seeing as he's playing with a lot of maturity - even when fouled a lot.
 
Looks like he took a bit of a kicking against Liverpool but took it all without a whinge and kept going back for more. All looks very promising.
 
Adnan and Welbeck interchanging positions on the left and behind the striker could be quite exciting.
 
rooneyaldo said:
Wow just saw this, what a performance, what was noticeable was his dribbling, he seemed much more willing to take his man on than what we saw in preseason of last season.
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Well, he was playing against a lower level of opponent here. He was pulling off this sort of performance for the U21s last season two, but you have to tone it down against more difficult opponents or risk just giving the ball away a lot.

Will Absolute said:
He hasn't got blistering pace, but he is quick, particularly over that critical first five yards.
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Definitely. He's no Walcott, but he's fast, and quick on the accelerator too.
 
Nate Dogg said:
I have watched this kid closely, albeit from the comfortable surroundings of my living room, for me he is definitely first team material.

Before i state my reasons, the only other players that i thought would go on to become regular first teamers were Rossi and Pogba, i know Rossi didn't make it for whatever reason but he was class, i think he went on to become a regular in the Italian national team so he can't be too bad and Pogba is now a regular at Juve.

Anyhow, you often come across players in the United Academy, U21 that have the talent and potential to become good players but invariably their chances of them making it in the United first team is usually scarce, for eg players like Lingard, Petrucci maybe good but i very much doubt they will make it at United, i'm sure they will have good careers elsewhere.

Back to Adnan, everything he does oozes class, his touch, control is sublime whereas others tend to lack when they are put into a tight situation or presented with a couple of markers, for me this should be a basic priority to make it at United. Also, players like him are like a magnet to the ball, either his team mates pass the ball to him more as he is likely to do something more productive or in my opinion the really good players like to demand the ball at every possible situation, furthermore, this invariably mean a player of his ilk can play and be comfortable in may positions, i think i have seen him on the right, left, and also in midfield.

More importantly, this for me is probably the crux, people talk about being physically ready, but i recall that George Best, Giggs to name a few were tiny when they played for the first team, before you jump on me i am not comparing Adnan to them, but anyhow for me the most important ability is his final ball, he seems to have that ability and composure to find his team mates either when crossing from the left/crossing or from midfield from tight situations and when double marked, to sum up i think he will be huge talent for us, the only question is not IF but WHEN he will break into the first team.
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I think he is ready, now all he has to do is force his way past those ahead of him in the positions that Moyes sees him working in. Hopefully he gets games in the league cup but he looks ready to me.
 
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