Timothy Fosu-Mensah, once hailed as a future Manchester United star and Europa League winner in 2017, is now clubless at just 27. The versatile Dutch defender was part of José Mourinho’s squad that triumphed over Ajax in the 2017 Europa League final, celebrated alongside legends, and was even once described by Louis van Gaal as a “multi-functional player.”
However, Fosu-Mensah’s career stalled soon after. Following limited first-team chances, he went on loan spells to Crystal Palace and Fulham, impressing with pace but failing to solidify his spot. Despite being the fastest player in the Premier League (35.35kph) during the 2018/19 season, injuries and inconsistency prevented a breakthrough.
He eventually left United in 2021 for Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer, aiming to reignite his career. Unfortunately, the move failed to revive his trajectory. He made just a handful of Bundesliga appearances and didn’t feature at all during Leverkusen’s historic 2023/24 unbeaten season. The club released him in summer 2024.
Now, despite brief links to Swansea and Middlesbrough in January 2025, Fosu-Mensah remains a free agent. From lifting a European trophy at 19 to being out of contract at 27, his story is a cautionary tale of unfulfilled potential in modern football.
