PLAYSTATION & LONELINESS: THE HEARTBREAKING REALITY OF AARON WAN-BISSAKA’S EARLY DAYS AT MANCHESTER UNITED
Aaron Wan-Bissaka speaks out: Read about his Man Utd struggles, why he backs Michael Carrick, and his DR Congo World Cup journey.
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.
THE 9-POINT GAP: UNEARTHING HOW A ASTON VILLA VICTORY COULD PERMANENTLY DERAIL CHELSEA’S TOP-FOUR HOPES
Champions League race: Read why Aston Villa vs Chelsea is a "must-win," the latest on Pedro Neto’s ban, and Emery’s injury news.
Unai Emery’s team wants to put some real distance between themselves and Chelsea in the Champions League race. Villa are hoping for a big win at home, especially since Chelsea haven’t exactly looked sharp lately; they’re trying to snap a three-game winless streak.
Villa sit fourth in the Premier League, level on points with Manchester United but just behind on goal difference. Their last match didn’t go the way they wanted. They lost 2-0 at Molineux, with Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes both finding the net. They haven’t won there since December 2020, so that defeat stung – a wasted chance to get ahead of the other teams chasing a top-four spot.
Right now, Villa have only picked up one win from their last five league games. When Emery was asked if this match is a 'must-win', he kept it real: 'Our objective is to be in Europe, and we are in. Even if not in good form, we are in. And, of course, we are every day trying to recover our good form and our confidence, and tomorrow, Chelsea is our opponent, and of course, it’s a tough match.”
Villa have missed their captain, John McGinn, plus midfielders Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara. Still, they’ll want to make it three straight league wins over Chelsea. If they do, they’d open up a nine-point gap and make a real statement about sticking in the top four.
Chelsea, in sixth place, also lost their last match. Arsenal beat them, and most of the damage came from set pieces plus an own goal by Piero Hincapié. Chelsea couldn’t defend corners, and discipline is still a big issue. For the ninth time this season, they finished a game with fewer than 11 players. Pedro Neto got two yellows in just three minutes.
That’s two red cards in as many games. It’s hurting their chances and points to a real problem keeping cool when it matters. Liam Rosenior didn’t sugarcoat it before this match: “I need to see an improvement in the behaviour now; it’s not just Pedro [Neto]. We’ve had bookings for needless dissent and fouls. It needs to improve. My job is to create a culture of accountability where if you make a mistake, it’s ok, but you have to hold your hand up and not do it again.”
Wesley Fofana is back from suspension, but Pedro Neto is now out. Jamie Gittens is sidelined with a hamstring problem, Estêvão’s got a thigh injury, and Marc Cucurella probably won’t be ready in time to play at Villa Park.
Villa aren’t at full strength either. They’re still without McGinn and Tielemans, and Kamara probably won’t play again this season. Andrés García has a thigh strain, and Harvey Elliot just hasn’t been able to make an impact since joining due to injuries or whatever else; it just hasn’t clicked.
THE WEBB FILES: UNEARTHING THE SECRET EVIDENCE TOTTENHAM SENT TO PGMOL CHIEF HOWARD WEBB
Tottenham have reached breaking point: Read the full report on their formal PGMOL complaint and Igor Tudor’s "obvious foul" claims.
Tottenham have reached their breaking point with Premier League refereeing. The club’s patience finally ran out, and they fired off a formal complaint to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), calling out what they see as a string of inconsistent decisions. Right now, under interim boss Igor Tudor, the club’s already got enough on its plate, but they decided to go straight to PGMOL chief Howard Webb to spell out just how frustrated they are. Their main gripe? The way referees handle contact in the penalty area is especially crucial when it comes to deciding whether goals should count or not in crucial moments. For Tottenham, the standards just keep shifting.
What really pushed the board over the edge was how refs have handled almost identical situations in back-to-back games. During that bruising 4-1 loss to Arsenal on February 22, Randal Kolo Muani thought he’d scored a key equaliser, only to see it ruled out. The officials said he pushed Gabriel Magalhaes before scoring. Referee Peter Bankes even doubled down on TV, saying, “Once you see two hands in live play, it looks like a push, a clear push. I was more than happy that the two hands on the back had enough impact and were an offence.”
But just days later, things went the other way. Tottenham lost 2-1 at Fulham, and this time Harry Wilson’s opener stood, even though Raul Jimenez seemed to shove Radu Dragusin as they both went for a header. The officials brushed it off, saying the contact wasn’t enough for a foul. For Spurs, it was déjà vu, except, somehow, the rules had changed overnight. That kind of inconsistency has left everyone at the club shaking their heads, desperate for a real explanation.
Tudor didn’t bother hiding his anger after the Fulham match. He told reporters, “Of course, it’s a foul. Nine out of ten people will say it’s a foul because it’s so obvious, you know. Sometimes they don’t understand that it’s enough even with small contact; if it gives you an advantage to score, you need to cancel this. It’s not a normal duel when someone’s soft, no, when he pushes with the hands and doesn’t watch the ball, no. Sometimes it’s just easy to get an advantage.”
Tudor hasn’t won a game since taking over for Thomas Frank. Spurs are now five matches without a win, and their last league victory feels like ancient history back in December.
Tottenham’s letter to Webb isn’t just a list of their own hard-luck stories. They’ve pulled in examples from other matches across the league, trying to show this isn’t just a Spurs problem. One example: Nick Woltemade’s goal for Newcastle against Arsenal in September, where what looked like a push on Gabriel went unpunished, and the goal stood. Spurs want to show that refereeing standards are all over the place, and it’s messing with the fairness of results.
Since Howard Webb became PGMOL’s chief in 2022, he’s tried to open up communication and make the process more transparent. He’s gone on TV; he’s explained VAR decisions; he’s urged clubs to talk things out. But the flood of complaints this season suggests patience is wearing thin, and Tottenham clearly think public explanations aren’t fixing the real problem: the rules just aren’t being applied the same way each week.
And timing matters here. Tottenham are in trouble, sitting 16th in the Premier League, just four points above the drop zone. The fear of relegation is real unless something changes fast.
Nobody really knows if this formal protest will change how matches are officiated or if it’ll just end with a quiet apology behind closed doors, something that’s become pretty common these days. For now, Tudor and his players have to dig deep and hope their stand on refereeing finally gets them some luck, or at least some answers, before the season slips away for good.
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