Why Adnan Januzaj Is One To Watch

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1.

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Full Name: Adnan Januzaj
Club: Manchester United
Country: Belgium
DOB: February 5, 1995 (age 19)
Height: 5' 11"

Who would have imagined during the summer of 2013 that Adnan Januzaj would become a primary part of the Manchester United first team? During the summer months, he was touted as one of the leading future talents in Europe, but his rapid introduction to the first team has been meteoric and he has grasped his opportunity with both hands. As the Premier League Champions struggle to transition from the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson to next in line David Moyes, Januzaj has been one of very few players to sparkle and create a more than positive impact.

In terms of his style, Januzaj is very highly regarded for his fast-paced, attacking style of play. He has the ability to play out wide or just behind the front line, pulling strings and making things happen. So far this season, he has been primarily utilized on the left wing with positive results. On the ball, he is very dynamic and many full-backs have found that out the hard way as they are left trying to chase his heels as he bursts down the wing.

His defining moment came on 5 October 2013, in what was his first start for the club. Januzaj scored twice as United came from behind to claim a precious 2–1 victory away to Sunderland. Immediately there was a mass media frenzy surrounding him and very soon after, Manchester United signed Januzaj to a new five-year contract on 19 October 2013.

Did you know? Januzaj turned down the opportunity to play for Kosovo after he was invited by the Kosovo Football Federation to join up with their squad for their first ever international game versus Haiti.

You will note that we listed Belgium as his country. While that is correct as his country of birth, Januzaj has not declared who he will play for at international level and he has a wealth of options. He is eligible to play for Kosovo, Albania, Belgium and even England due to a combination of family, birth and residential issues. Januzaj was born and raised in Belgium but his parents are both Kosovo-Albanians. England is also a choice, although that would not be a viable option until 2017. While Januzaj has yet to choose which national team he will represent, he has stated in several interviews that his father, Abedin, will play an influential role in his final decision.

"Adnan is a beautifully-balanced player, he's only 18 and has to grow into his frame but he has good balance, good acceleration and is a very good technical player." – Sir Alex Ferguson

2.

Adnan Januzaj

Currently Wears: Nike Hypervenom Phantom

On his feet, Januzaj has been wearing the agility based Nike Hypervenom and they seem to be pretty pitch perfect for his style. In similar form to Neymar, Januzaj has a pretty slight frame and bases a lot of his game on beating players with the movement of his body. Frequently you will see him fake out defenders with quick shifts that send the defender in the opposite direction. It is not an easy skill to posses, but in play it can be the difference in making the ball as you go into challenges with players.

Nike has advertised the Hypervenom as an attacking range, even though it replaced the power based, utility position T90 Laser series. With a honeycomb finished upper, it offers the ideal balance between first touch and clinical finishing. In fact, I would rate it as one of the best boots for placing shots into corners, with the textured upper adding some extra control on the ball.