Jose Mourinho’s texts and the broken promises that made Timothy Fosu-Mensah a Man Utd outcast

Timothy Fosu-Mensah’s departure from Manchester United was not making the headlines when it was announced on Wednesday afternoon.

30 appearances over the past five years tell a tale of missed opportunities, cruel luck, and a case of failure to meet high expectations.

Drawn from Ajax’s academy at the age of 14, there were high hopes for the all-round defensive player.

Fosu-Mensah was signed for school terms two years later and his progress to United’s first team ended in 2016.

As many have done before him, the Manchester United academy graduate has had the chance to shine in the senior squad.

It was Louis van Gaal who gave his compatriot his big breakthrough, first knocking him off the bench against Arsenal, before starting him against Warford in March 2016.

And the 18-year-old made an instant impact, with his first appearances leaving the legendary manager purring.

“Timothy saved us three times, I think, because of his speed and I was very happy that he was on the pitch,” said Van Gaal, after making his first start for United in 2016. “I am there. I let him stay on the pitch in the second half because we were the player who always closed the door on us.

“I think he’s a better full-back than a center-back, but he’s from Ajax and always plays right midfielder or right midfielder. This is his position.

Van Gaal has kept him around the first-team image for the rest of this season, in hopes he could play a bigger role in the campaign ahead.

Unfortunately for young Fosu-Mensah, Van Gaal was sacked that summer, with Jose Mourinho, the man chosen to succeed him.

The rumors came from Mourinho, he called him a player with “great potential” and promised him that he would have “plenty of opportunities” under his tutelage.

That didn’t quite come to fruition, with his only Premier League debut on the last day of the season against Crystal Palace.

Desperate for more chances at the top level and only three weeks away from his Netherlands debut, Fosu-Mensah is reportedly moving to Palace, with the aim of finally establishing himself as a Premier League player.

It was another Dutchman, this time Frank de Boer, who saw something in him, instantly placing him in his starting XI at Selhurst Park.

Of course, De Boer’s stint in south London remained infamous, having been sacked just five games after his tenure.

Roy Hodgson would replace him, leaving him to fight for a starting place with now United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

During his absence from the club, he admitted that he remained in close contact with Mourinho, again hinting at racing potential with his parent club.

“He has texted but sometimes he rings,” he says. “Sometimes it’s also the assistant. It’s really good to have that contact because I’m still under contract there.

“He told me to keep focusing on my game. We talked and both came to an agreement that this was the best fit for my development. He said we should keep talking to each other.

But Old Trafford’s chances continued to elude him and he was loaned to Fulham ahead of the 2018/19 season.

But remarkably, for the third time in his nascent career, a change of direction would halt his progress.

Initially a regular at Slavisa Jokanovic, his dismissal marked the end of that as Claudio Ranieri chose to leave him out of the squad for much of the season.

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Just when he finally looked like he could run, he suffered a horrific cruciate ligament injury that would see him sidelined until the coronavirus was suspended last season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave him limited chances, but the writing was on the wall when it was revealed he was free to talk to other clubs.

And it left for Bayer Leverkusen for Fosu-Mensah, a club with European ambitions where, at only 23 years old, he can finally realize his enormous potential.

After a turbulent first half of a decade in professional football, few would wish him anything other than great success.

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