Adnan Januzaj was once tipped for the top with Manchester United and was even labelled the best young player he’d ever seen by Robin van Persie
Adnan Januzaj was once hailed as the ‘best young player’ Robin van Persie had ever seen – but his career didn’t quite pan out the way it once looked like it would at Manchester United.
The winger never quite reached his potential and is now playing for a La Liga team battling relegation, with a transfer value of just £1million. The Belgian prodigy joined United’s academy in 2011 and climbed through the ranks, making 37 appearances for the Under-21s team, netting nine goals and providing 12 assists before breaking into the first team.
Januzaj made his senior debut in the 2013/14 season under Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor, David Moyes, immediately impressing his teammates with his performances.
Van Persie, who was leading the line for United during Januzaj’s rise, was among those singing the young winger’s praises – even declaring him the best young talent at the club.
In an interview on the Manchester United website back in 2013, Van Persie said: ” Over the years, I’ve seen so many young players, and I can honestly say that of all the young players I’ve seen, he is right up there in the top one or two.”
The former Premier League champion even likened Januzaj’s style to his own in his younger days, noting that he saw “something special” in the winger. Van Persie added: “When I go back 10 years to when I was quite young, I see similar attributes.
“He’s confident in a good way. He’s not too bothered with the whole occasion or the pressure of the games. I was very confident as well and I see some stuff in him and the choices he makes that I made when I was younger as well. But he’s not the new van Persie, he’s the new Adnan. He’s a great player and I’m a great fan of his.
“I thought earlier in pre-season that he has something special. He will give Manchester United a great bunch of goals and great games. He’s a special player.”
But despite racking up 63 appearances for United and finding the net five times, Januzaj didn’t become the shining star at Old Trafford as Van Persie predicted. He experienced some success under Moyes, but subsequent managers – Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho – weren’t convinced of his potential, leading to his exit from the club.
Following fruitful loan spells at Dortmund and Sunderland, Januzaj bid farewell to United, joining Real Sociedad in 2017 with a transfer fee of £7.1 million (€8.5m) for a five-year tenure.
He crafted a respectable career in Spain, clocking up 168 games for Sociedad, netting 23 goals and providing 22 assists across all competitions. However, Januzaj still stopped short of reaching the stellar heights Van Persie had hoped for.
His time at Sociedad included lifting the Copa del Rey in the 2019/20 season and being part of Belgium’s squad that clinched third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
After his release from Real Sociedad at the culmination of the 2021/22 season, Januzaj signed a four-year deal with Sevilla in 2022 but it currently out on loan with La Liga side Las Palmas – the seventh club of his career.
The 30-year-old now seems to be on a downward trajectory, with his transfer value plummeting to just over £1m (€1.2m), according to TransferMarkt. His season, meanwhile, has been marred by injuries, limiting him to only 12 appearances.
Las Palmas are currently dealing with a relegation battle, languishing in 19th place and two points away from safety. Januzaj has scored twice and provided just one assist for the club, but he is now back to full fitness.
Despite achieving some success and continuing to play top-tier football in Europe, the Belgian never quite managed to become a world-class player, as was anticipated after the once-burgeoning talent first broke through at United.
