Former Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj has opened up on his Old Trafford exit and the “many difficult meetings” he endured with former manager Louis van Gaal.
Januzaj rose to prominence at United under David Moyes, scoring twice on his full Premier League debut as an 18-year-old.
An international battle for his signature soon followed - Januzaj eventually picking Belgium amid interest from Albania, Kosovo and even England - and Januzaj was hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young stars.
But four years later, Januzaj finds himself with Spanish side Real Sociedad, having been sold by Jose Mourinho in the summer after somewhat losing his way in Manchester.
The Belgian largely attributes that to Van Gaal’s arrival in 2014, Januzaj believing the Dutchman quite simply shackled the 20-time English champions and strangled his enjoyment of the game.
"There was not the same freedom," he told the Daily Mail. "A winger needs that confidence, a manager telling you, 'Go and take people on'. With him, it was a slow passing game.
"For some it was difficult. You could see some players were not enjoying the football. The manager and I had many difficult meetings. I was frustrated and everyone could see that I was not the same Adnan as the first year. I was sometimes even in the stands. When you work hard in training and then get left out, it's hard for a young guy.
"As a footballer, if you think too much on the pitch, it is never good. You need instinct in your play. When the ball came to us, we had to stop and think, "What are we going to do with it here?", 'I can't lose the ball'."
Januzaj started eight games in the Van Gaal’s first season, before being dumped on loan at Borussia Dortmund where his struggles continued.
A loan switch to Sunderland - and a reunion with Moyes - came last season, before Mourinho allowed the player to depart for Spain on a permanent deal.