A Manchester United young star is still on the lookout for a new club after he last played for a professional match in 2023, during an 11 minute cameo
A former Manchester United star is hoping his relentless efforts “won’t go unnoticed” as he searches for a new club following a two-year absence from competitive football.
Ajax academy product Timothy Fosu-Mensah built a respectable reputation at Old Trafford, working his way up through the ranks to make 30 first-team appearances – a figure that might have been considerably higher without loan spells and injury setbacks.
However, the defender’s career took a devastating turn with an anterior cruciate ligament injury whilst on loan at Fulham in 2019, followed by another crushing blow in February 2021 during his time with Bayer Leverkusen, limiting him to just seven league outings.
Now recovered from those setbacks, Fosu-Mensah, who turned 28 on Friday (January 2), is eager to reignite his career after spending a season without a club. “Last season was the first time in my career that I’ve spent without a team,” Fosu-Mensah told PA.
“It’s quite early and I think quite strange for people at this age. I know I’ve been putting in the work and hard work won’t go unnoticed. That’s what I believe.
“If you stay at home, do nothing and then think ‘boom, OK, I’m going to go this club or that club’, no, that’s not how it works, that’s not my mentality. It’s definitely a fresh start and I’ve been working hard.”
Despite his most recent match dating back to April 2023, Fosu-Mensah remains confident about his return to action, citing his fitness programme and the inspiring comeback tales of fellow players.
Following his departure from Bayer without making a single appearance during their triumphant 2023-24 campaign, Fosu-Mensah has revealed he’s feeling more resilient than ever, both mentally and physically.
Despite being match-fit and available on the substitutes’ bench for most of the season, he faced more troubling challenges after his release last summer.
“There was a couple of situations with agents here and there, which was a bit of a mess,” he disclosed. “People were speaking on my name who I never even had contact with.
“I would say like 80% of the agents who were approaching clubs and people I didn’t even know, who I didn’t even had contact with. I think that was a big mess.”
He acknowledged discussions about a possible Championship switch during the winter transfer window: “Some of them I was aware of, some of them I wasn’t.”
His following five-month spell with Ajax proved worthwhile, where he trained alongside both the reserves and senior squad, featured in behind-closed-doors fixtures, and maintained daily summer fitness regimes in his quest for a return.
Speaking from his Dutch residence after one such training session, joined by Brian Brobbey and Steven Bergwijn, Fosu-Mensah expressed his enduring affection for United.
“I’ll always be a fan of United,” he stated. “Always. I joined when I was 16, I left when I was 23. I’ve had many brilliant moments, bagged a few trophies, particularly in my first season.
“We all know United, we all know the history of United, we all know what United stands for.
“Even this last season the Premier League was tough for them but they made it to the Europa League final, so it’s something in the DNA of the club that they always want to win trophies.
“I have studied the manager (Ruben Amorim) and I have got a bit of an idea how he plays and what he expects from his players.
“Jeremiah St Juste from Sporting Lisbon is a good mate of mine and he had high praise for the manager, so I’m confident that United have brought in a top gaffer.”