Adnan Januzaj has the ability to win the Champions League with Manchester United, says Nicky Butt
Januzaj is currently out on loan at Sunderland but the former Manchester United midfielder hopes he will return to Old Trafford one day
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Your support makes all the difference.Adnan Januzaj has the ability to return to Manchester United and win the Champions League with the side, according to Nicky Butt.
Butt, the head of the club’s academy, saw several United prospects leave the club this summer with Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Victor Valdes and Will Keane all securing permanent transfers.
Januzaj was one of five United players to move out on loan after he agreed to join Sunderland for the season.
While Butt was happy to let a number of the academy’s graduates leave, the former United midfielder confessed that he would be “hurt” if Januzaj did not establish a career for himself at Old Trafford at some point in the future.
“They’re all really good lads and will have a good life, nice houses but they weren’t at the level for United,” he told The Times.
“It doesn’t hurt me as much as, say, if Adnan Januzaj went and never came back.
“He’s got the level to play for United and win leagues and Champions Leagues.
“Maybe he’s not been as dedicated, a case of too much too soon, a millionaire now.”
The Belgian youngster has been reunited with David Moyes at the Black Cats who handed the player his first competitive debut for United against Wigan Athletic in the 2013 Community Shield.
He made his first Premier League start for United in October of the same year, scoring twice to give his side a 2-1 victory away to Sunderland.
Despite making 27 appearances in the 2013/14 season under Moyes, Januzaj struggled to make a lasting impression at the club before drifting towards the periphery of the squad.
After making just five appearances at the start of the 2015/16 season he was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund but returned having played only 12 games for the Bundesliga side.
With the likes of Januzaj in mind, Butt has suggested that clubs should change the manner in which they pay young players who, he believes, have suffered as a result of receiving too much money too soon in their careers.
“I’d definitely bring in trust funds,” he said.
“When we first signed our contracts at 17, I remember [chairman] Martin Edwards and the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] said: ‘You’re having a grand a week, and the rest will be put away.’
“The rest was put with an accountant who still works for all of us now. It was the best thing that ever happened.
“Some kids come up and expect things too soon – and get given it too soon.
“It’s the fear factor of losing him to another club and end up losing a £50million player. For the sake of an extra £4,000-a-week.”
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