Europa League: 'All I needed was a coach to believe in me' - Adnan Januzaj on Man United career
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Published 17/02/2021 at 13:48 GMT
Real Sociedad's Adnan Januzaj will face his old club Manchester United in their forthcoming Europa League clash. He has spoken about the problems he faced at Old Trafford under managers Louis van Gaal and then Jose Mourinho. The the winger left Old Trafford in 2016 having burst into the first team as a teenager.
I should have left Manchester United earlier, says Adnan Januzaj
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Real Sociedad's Adnan Januzaj says he wasn't given a fair chance at Manchester United by Louis van Gaal or Jose Mourinho - and admits he should have left Manchester United earlier.
Now aged 26, the winger left Old Trafford in 2016 having burst into the first team as a teenager, and securing a regular spot in the squad under David Moyes in 2013-14.
But following the departure of Moyes in 2014 he became a fringe player - and has now suggested that incoming boss van Gaal would rather have spent £100 million on a new signing than play a youngster who was already at the club.
"Van Gaal wanted experienced players, he wanted to buy a player for £100m," Januzaj told BBC Sport.
"All I needed was a coach to believe in me.
"After Moyes left, it was difficult because I was not playing a lot. I was playing one game, then staying on the bench, then another game, then six on the bench.
As a young boy who wanted to play it was difficult for me to stay on the bench and not show people how good I was.
"I had those three coaches [reserve boss Warren Joyce, Sir Alex Ferguson and Moyes] giving me a lift to play for the club I love. Then those people came."
Januzaj now thinks his loan spells at Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland - even though he was reunited with Moyes there - were ill advised.
"The only thing I regret is at 19 when Van Gaal came was [I should have tried to] leave the club, to go and enjoy my football somewhere else," he said.
"They didn't want to let me go, they wanted me to go on loan. It's difficult to go somewhere on loan."
Januzaj is looking forward to playing United, however, and seeing his good friend Paul Pogba, as well as returning to Manchester.
"It will be amazing [going back to Old Trafford for the second leg next Thursday]. The people in the city are amazing. I really like to go back to England a lot.
"To go back where I started my career will be an amazing feeling."
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