Former Sunderland loanee Adnan Januzaj was born in Brussels on this day in 1995. He made 28 appearances for the club scoring just one goal. David Moyes, who had mentored him at Manchester United, admitted when he signed Januzaj it was a risk. It was ultimately one that did not pay off.
Januzaj was highly rated by United, who had signed the Belgian midfielder from Anderlecht when he was just 16. Sir Alex Ferguson promoted him to the first team squad and he was an unused sub in his final game in charge of the club. Januzaj went on to win the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award, an award that ex- Sunderland centre half John O’shea has also won. Januzaj made his competitive debut for United against Wigan in the 2013 Community Shield. He then made his Premier League debut a month later, again from the substitute bench. In something that seems very typical, in Januzaj’s first start for United, he scored a brace which saw David Moyes’ side come from behind to claim a 2–1 victory at the Stadium of Light. It feels that overly hyped up Manchester United players (often given the name ‘wonderkids’) have a habit of scoring against us, take for example Federico Macheda who scored in just his second appearance, after just 45 seconds no less.
It is testament to just how over hyped Januzaj was that he was a nominee for the BBC Young Sports Personality of The Year, despite only featuring in ten games for the club and with just the two goals against us to his name (which is nothing spectacular). He gained a thoroughly deserved reputation for diving, receiving three yellow cards for simulation in the 13-14 season. He inherited the number 11 jersey from Ryan Giggs and did not score a single goal, in any competition, in the 14-15 season. In the following season he went out on loan to Borussia Dortmund, where he again failed to score in his 12 appearances. He was recalled to united half way through the season, making three appearances in which he again, failed to score.
As this pattern of not scoring emerged, David Moyes in his infinite wisdom decided to sign Januzaj on loan in our bid to beat relegation. He didn’t score for us in the Premier League and his performances were frustrating. If ever there was a winger with no end product, it was the Belgian. He did score a solitary goal against Shrewsbury, a good goal that was the winner in that game. Otherwise, he was basically anonymous, though he had his own song.
Since leaving United he has managed to carve out a career in Spain at Real Sociedad and then Sevilla. Unlike the aforementioned Macheda, Januzaj has had a decent career. Moyes once claimed he told Adnan to look at himself and realise that it’s down to him to progress, that it isn’t the manager’s fault or the coach’s fault that he hasn’t progressed. Maybe he finally paid attention. He now plays in the Turkish top division for İstanbul Başakşehir on loan from Sevilla.
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