MANCHESTER UNITED TRAILED Sunderland with 55 minutes when Patrice Evra whipped in a low cross into the area and the skinny teenager, on his full debut, arrowed a right-footed shot to the net to equalise.
Five minutes later, the ball fell perfectly for him on the left side of the penalty area and he expertly volleyed to the far corner.
It was early in David Moyes’ reign but it seemed Adnan Januzaj was set to become a huge part of the club’s future.
A fortnight later, the then-18-year-old signed a five-year contract.
There would only be two more goals for him that season – in wins over West Ham and Newcastle – but despite Louis van Gaal’s arrival in the summer of 2014, Januzaj inherited Ryan Giggs’ iconic number 11 shirt and seemed set to feature prominently under the Dutchman.
But he struggled for starts and, despite a goalscoring start against Aston Villa in August 2015, he was sent on a season-long loan to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
But, according to the club’s coach Thomas Tuchel, Januzaj found it tough to properly integrate himself in the side and returned to Manchester prematurely – in January of this year, having failed to make a single league start for Dortmund.
He was floating and in need of game-time but was involved in three top-flight games after returning – tallying just 17 minutes.
Ever since Jose Mourinho was appointed, his future has looked seriously bleak. He lost the number 11 shirt (now taken by Anthony Martial) and has been sent to train with the reserves along with Bastian Schweinsteiger.
He has been linked with a switch to Sunderland, now managed by the man who gave him his big chance at Old Trafford, though it’s claimed the 21-year-old wants a clean break and a permanent transfer rather than another temporary move.
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