COMMENT: Adnan Januzaj and Manchester United need a clean break. Not a loan, but a sale.
When David Moyes comes calling, as he surely will, urging Januzaj to join him at Sunderland, the Belgian should snap his hand off. He and his father, Abedin, need to recognise that it's now slipping away. The promise and potential is fast fading.
They're talking about now or never for Januzaj at Manchester United. But it's gone beyond that. It's really career crunch time. He'll turn 22 later this season. Now it really is make or break.
With Moyes back on the scene, it should bring it home for Januzaj. For that season under the Scot, he was the one good thing to emerge. A future world-beater. A Ballon d'Or winner. Ryan Giggs' heir apparent. We were all saying it. Abedin was in control. Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City... they were all in contact after the Moyes campaign. United, with an offer worth a mooted £60,000-a-week, convinced him to stay. Adnan was the hottest thing in the game.
United even handed Januzaj, on Giggs' recommendation, the Welshman's No11. Two seasons on and - should he stay - fans of Januzaj will have to change their shirts to No15. A number for a squad player. A backup. Anthony Martial is now United's No11. Marcus Rashford is now the academy's poster boy. Januzaj's status is fast slipping through his fingers. That £60,000-a-week looks ridiculous.
He tried to get things going in Germany last season. But that lasted barely four months. At Borussia Dortmund, coach Thomas Tuchel was no great fan. Certainly not in the way Moyes was. While he was popular with teammates, Januzaj was chastised publicly by Dortmund officials. Tuchel accused him of arrogance, always drawing comparisons between their facilities and ways of doing things with what he experienced at United. In the end, Tuchel became fed up and sent him packing back to Manchester.
Back home and hoping for at least an arm around the shoulder, Januzaj copped the exact opposite from Louis van Gaal. Again a lecture and finger wagging was produced. 'You should have listened to me,' he was scolded by his manager, 'I told you to stay in England'.
The feedback from Carrington is that he's been flying in preseason. And the new manager is impressed. The second-half against Wigan Athletic and a cameo in China is encouraging. But they weren't starts and now with the club's Euros players returned, opportunities will be even more remote.
Mourinho has spoken highly of Januzaj in the past, describing him as a "fantastic player" who "has the lot". But when those conversations with Sir Alex Ferguson and Ed Woodward were held about maintaining the club's youth traditions, it wasn't Januzaj they were championing. It's now about Rashford and Martial. The Belgian is just another senior squad player. And one who doesn't even have the politics of a hefty price-tag to afford him a chance.
Which is why he needs to get out. Mourinho, Tribalfootball.com has been informed, has no plans to encourage Januzaj to leave. He'll be offered Europa League registration and Cup games. But the player, at this stage of his career, needs more. He needs to be playing week-in, week-out - and for a manager who appreciates him. If Ellis Short gives Moyes the green light and that offer arrives, Januzaj and his father need to take it.
And it should be a straight sale. The safety net needs to be taken away. United can protect themselves with a buy-back clause - just as Sir Alex did with Ryan Shawcross, at Stoke City. But the ties need to be cut. Januzaj needs to strike out on his own.
His problems at the Westfalen were no great surprise to United staff. Under Van Gaal, the word was Januzaj always did just enough. The talent is there. The potential is stunning. But since those days under Moyes, whether it was for club or country, Januzaj just didn't appear to have the desire to truly push himself.
While we understand the size of his deal has been exaggerated, a source tells us "the contract has been a problem". The too much too soon theory has a new standard bearer - and he's just been thrown the No15 shirt at United.
Of course, if it was a clean break, there'd be no 60,000 quid-a-week waiting for him on Wearside. He'd be lucky to get half of that. But at 21, Januzaj and his family shouldn't be worrying about money. If they really believe in his ability. If he believes in himself. Then he should be finding a club where he's going to be getting a regular game. With that, everything else, the money, the fame, will fall into place.
With a career at the crossroads, Moyes' return to the Premier League couldn't have arrived at a better time for Januzaj. When that call is made, he needs to drop everything, including his wage packet, and get himself up north. Moyes and Sunderland is the best chance of proving his fans right.
