Down in a private cinema room on the ground floor of a slick Canary Wharf apartment block, Aaron Wan-Bissaka gets something footballers rarely do: a little quiet.

It’s his day off. He’s got on a fresh tracksuit, speaks softly, and melts into a big comfy seat, looking just as calm as he does on the pitch. Later, he grins and says his plan is simple: take a nap.

That kind of steady presence has always been Wan-Bissaka’s thing. He’s never chased the spotlight. He’d rather let his football do the talking. Now he’s at West Ham, after learning the ropes at Manchester United, and he’s in a thoughtful mood. He’s looking back at a journey that started on London estates, took him all the way to Old Trafford, and brought him home again.

As he talks, it’s clear this story isn’t just about football. It’s about family, and sacrifice, and the stuff that happens off the pitch. Long before the Premier League lights, Wan-Bissaka learned to play on a patch of grass outside his childhood home.

“I was probably five when I first fell in love with football,” he says. “It was just me and my brother playing around with a ball on the estate. We’d head over to the green across from our house. We called it our Wembley.”

But the idea of going pro didn’t really sink in until he was around sixteen. “That’s when I realised I actually had a shot. That’s when I started taking it seriously, really chasing the dream.”

Wan-Bissaka shows up for this chat with Daily Mail Sport, soft-spoken and thoughtful.

Growing up, like a lot of London kids, he idolised Thierry Henry. “I always wanted to be him,” Wan-Bissaka admits. “Honestly, I used to imagine being him growing up and playing like that. He was my idol. It was his composure. He scored loads of goals, but he also carried the team. He was a leader. My whole family supported Arsenal when I was a kid.”

Funny how things turn out. Now, at 28, Wan-Bissaka is known for being a rock-solid defender: reliable, no-nonsense, and shaped by the grit that comes from family and a pretty tough relationship with his dad.

“I didn’t realise at first how much my parents were giving up for me,” he says. “When I started secondary school, that was the age you wanted new trainers and boots. I could be pretty demanding. But they’d tell me, ‘You have to wait a couple of months.’ That’s when I started to get it. It wasn’t easy for them to buy me the stuff I wanted.

“They both worked cleaning jobs so they could pay for my boots. My dad even got in trouble at work for leaving early to take me to training.”

Wan-Bissaka says his dad, Ambrose, showed his support through discipline, not praise. 'It was hard because we didn't speak the same language well. He didn't speak much English, and my French wasn't great, so we didn't say much,' Wan-Bissaka remembers. He's now played nine games for DR Congo, his father’s home country. Next month, they'll play either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico for a spot in this summer's World Cup.

'We mostly talked about football. He was always pointing out what I could do better. Never any praise. I didn't get it at the time. I wondered why he never praised me. I kept wondering if I was good enough.'

'Even when I scored, he wasn't happy. I wondered if one goal was enough! But as I got older, I understood. He wanted me to push myself to be the best.'

After a smooth start in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, where he was named player of the year in his first full season, he moved to United for £50 million. It was a huge step and a tough time.

Wan-Bissaka felt homesick after joining Manchester United. 'Most days, I was home alone, playing PlayStation until bedtime,' he says.

He had a good relationship with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, which helped. 'He’s a good guy, and we got along,' Wan-Bissaka says about his old boss.

'When I moved to the United States, I missed my family and friends,' he says. 'After training, I took the train back to London almost every day. It’s only two hours, but it was tiring, so I had to stop.

'I wasn't used to it. I was comfortable at home in London, with familiar faces and places. It was hard to change everything so fast. I was often home alone, playing PlayStation until bedtime. It was tough, probably the lowest I've felt. '

Wan-Bissaka's big move from Palace in 2019 came with a lot of expectations. He also got his first call-up to the England team, but he couldn't play because of an injury. He quickly became a regular at United, starting more games than anyone else in Europe's top leagues in 2020-21.

His good early relationship with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer helped him when he was struggling.

'I got along well with Ole from the start,' he remembers. He’s a great person, and I think the other players felt the same. He supported you right away. Once he told you what to do, it was up to you to trust yourself and do it.'

Later managerial changes, especially under Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag, challenged that security.

'It’s football, and every manager has their favourites,' he says. 'They might like you or not; that's part of the game. When Rangnick came, it wasn't a good time for me, and there was a lot of criticism...

'It was hard when Erik ten Hag came. He told me right away that I wasn’t in his plans. But when I tried to leave, he didn’t want me to go. I didn't get it. It was hard because I didn't know what to do.'

Wan-Bissaka didn't connect as well with Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag as he did with Solskjaer at first.

He improved his relationship with Ten Hag, and they won the Carabao Cup with United in 2023.

'I kept working and trying to get better. It was hard to stay motivated when I wasn't playing.

'But the people around me helped me and told me to keep going. Things got better eventually. I might have changed or learnt some tactics under him; that’s what he wanted.'

He says clarity is important. He got that from Michael Carrick. He speaks highly of United's former interim boss, praising his simple messages during his time in charge in 2021.

It’s no wonder he wants Carrick to get the job permanently after a great start.

'He's someone you can trust,' Wan-Bissaka says. 'He'll trust you if you trust him and what he wants to do.

'He kept things simple. The guys liked him and the games when he was in charge. Now that he's back, the team is doing well. I think he should get the full-time job. He deserves it.'

Manchester was about pressure and growth, but West Ham has been a fresh start. Moving back to London meant being closer to family and a new football environment.

He played so well in the first season that he was named 'Hammer of the Year' in May, beating Jarrod Bowen.

Wan-Bissaka talks to Daily Mail Sport's Charlotte Daly about the good times and bad.

Aston Villa are heading into their derby against Wolves missing yet another player after a new injury cropped up, reports say.

Tonight, Villa make the short trip to Molineux for what, honestly, should be a routine win. Wolves are stuck at the bottom of the Premier League table with just 10 points from 27 games, only one win all year, and really, nobody’s expecting them to survive.

Villa’s story couldn’t be more different. They’re flying high in third, hunting for a Champions League spot, and they’ve been one of the league’s most impressive sides so far.

Unai Emery isn’t letting his players get comfortable, though. He’s quick to remind them that nothing’s guaranteed; Wolves managed to hold Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at Molineux not long ago. Still, everyone expects Villa to show up, get the job done, and head home with the points.

The real headache for Emery? Injuries. Lots of them.

John McGinn’s still out with that knee injury from January; he probably won’t be back until March. Youri Tielemans messed up his ankle during the win over Newcastle, and he won’t return before the next international break either. That’s three midfielders missing, and each one’s a big loss.

Now, according to Birmingham Live and The Athletic, Villa have another problem. Andres Garcia picked up a hamstring injury, and he’s out for a while. The timing’s awful for him; he’s barely played since arriving in January 2025, and Matty Cash only just came back from his own knee injury.

Suddenly, Villa’s full-back options look pretty thin. If Cash gets hurt again, Emery’s choices are limited.

And it’s not just the defence. Harvey Elliott, on loan from Liverpool, is still unavailable for the trip. His season at Villa Park has been bizarre. He barely played for months because the club didn’t want to trigger a £35 million buy clause in his loan, only to realise it only counted for Premier League games. He’s played seven times in the league this year, but now he’s out again – another headache Emery really doesn’t need.

On the bright side, Alysson, who joined in January, could feature this weekend after recovering from his own injury.

“Alysson is coming back; I think normally he will come back in the squad for tomorrow,” Emery said at Thursday’s press conference. “In case he’s training this afternoon, we’re going to train this afternoon. The other players, with the players we know are out, hopefully will be available for tomorrow.”