Manchester United Transfer News: Adnan Januzaj Vital Part of Devils' Future

Adnan Januzaj is reportedly concerned about his future with Manchester United, and it's vital Louis van Gaal makes the youngster understand he is pivotal to the club's long-term success.

According to the Daily Star's Gary Jones, Van Gaal is set to have "crunch talks" with the young Belgian international, who is worried about his potential role in the Dutchman's 3-5-2 scheme and his spot in the squad following the arrival of Angel Di Maria.

We heard rumours of the youngster fearing an exit from the squad all of August, as reported by Manchester Evening News' Simon Bajkowski, and it's understandable for the 19-year-old to be somewhat worried.

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Januzaj was one of the few feel-good stories during United 2013-14 season, as the young winger established himself as one of the Premier League's brightest talents in his first full season as a member of the senior squad.

Blessed with pace, technique and flair, Januzaj brightened the hearts of fans suffering through a miserable campaign both with technical highlights and the promise of future glory. Yet suddenly, following the arrival of Di Maria, everything has changed.

Januzaj is no longer the brightest new toy. He's now the odd man out, who seemingly has no place in Van Gaal's 3-5-2 and will likely not be a regular starter in the 2014-15 season. After all of the headlines and spotlights of last season, it must come as quite a shock.

It was bound to happen sooner or later, and it's important Van Gaal makes it clear to the youngster that it's all part of his maturation process. The Dutch manager has a sterling reputation for developing talent—he knows a potential world-class player when he sees one.

Januzaj is going to get his chances, but it will take time. Van Gaal is in a high-pressure situation—he needs to win, and he needs to win now. For all of his potential, Januzaj is still a very raw player. As of this moment, he doesn't present Van Gaal with his best opportunity to win matches in the 3-5-2.

The forward made his mark as a winger, but there has been plenty of speculation that he could potentially make the switch to the No. 10 position. Regardless of where Van Gaal sees Januzaj's future playing out, he's in the perfect situation.

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As a winger, he would have the luxury of learning from Di Maria, arguably the best pure winger on the planet. If he continues his development and Van Gaal reverts back to the 4-3-3, there will undoubtedly be a spot waiting for him opposite Di Maria.

If he's converted to a 10, he'll likely be anointed as the man who will lead United's midfield into the next era. That won't start tomorrow, but he simply has too much quality for that day to be two or three years away.

All of this hinges on Van Gaal's ability to convince the youngster he is still a part of his long-term plans. We've seen plenty of Belgian youngsters demanding transfer moves from Premier League clubs in the past few years because they couldn't deal with the wait (Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne come to mind).

If Januzaj is truly concerned about his future, all he needs to do is take off his shirt and look at the back. As shared by The Sport Bible's Liam, there's a reason the Mancunians gave him the iconic No. 11 shirt:

The Red Devils believe in Januzaj, and rightly so. His future with the club looks incredibly bright, even if he feels like he may have hit a speed-bump with the recent arrival of a batch of superstars.

If it takes crunch talks to convince the speedy winger of the club's good intentions, so be it. But if there's one thing he shouldn't worry about, it's that the club might be entertaining offers in January. Van Gaal knows talent when he sees it, and he never turns his back on it.

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