Thomas Hein
Adnan Januzaj’s time at Old Trafford is nearing an end according to reports coming from Spain. Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sport Witness) claims that the 22-year-old will finalise a move to join Real Sociedad in La Liga.
The Belgian broke onto the scenes at United during the 2013-14 season but things have gone downhill for him and it isn’t a surprise that he is determined to end his time at Old Trafford. Januzaj’s agent and representatives are reportedly in Spain to conclude the deal and the transfer will be worth €11million, even though he has only one year left on his contract.
Januzaj spent time on loan at Sunderland last season but only scored one goal in 28 games and even suffered relegation from the Premier League. While it was a surety that he would not remain with the Black Cats, a move to Spain could help the technically gifted player, given the playing style in the country.
His performances over the years have suffered. Even spending a season on loan at Borussia Dortmund did not help the 22-year-old and it does seem like we will get a decent value for a player that was touted as the next big thing in Belgian football.
Jose Mourinho already has made his mind up on the future of Januzaj and with no place in the current United first-team, it is logical to sell him to another club. There are a number of stars who have rediscovered their groove after moving to the Spanish league and hopefully, the 22-year-old can get things going at Sociedad.
The Spanish club ended last season in an impressive 6th place and should be aiming to finish higher than that this time around. Though they are nowhere close to the level of Barcelona and the two Madrid sides, they could challenge Villarreal and Sevilla for the final Champions League spot.
Januzaj has time on his side and if he reaches his potential, he could become a hit in the Spanish league. However, he will have to work his socks off if he does want to return to the limelight, and maybe a switch to a new country with less pressure to perform is the right move for him.
