ADNAN JANUZAJ faces a fight to force his way back into Manchester United's team after calling time on his disastrous loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.
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| Januzaj will find it hard to break back into the Manchester United team under Louis van Gaal |
Januzaj went against United manager Louis van Gaal's advice and moved to the Bundesliga last summer in the hope of more game-time.
It is understood Van Gaal had no plans to recall the Belgium international until he realised how little he was being used and how unhappy he had become in Germany.
He will assses the player's mental and physical shape before considering him for first-team duty again. He is unlikely to feature in tomorrow's FA Cup tie against Sheffield United because he has not played since early December because of the winter break in Germany.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc made it clear they were glad to see the back of him. He said: "It was a wish of Adnan to go back. The loan wasn't a good deal for both sides all in all."
Januzaj started four of United's first five games this season - scoring the winner at Aston Villa - but was taken off in each of them after failing to convince Van Gaal he was ready for regular starts in the Premier League.
Van Gaal expressed doubts about Januzaj's loan move in the autumn when he said: "At a club like Borussia Dortmund, all the players are of a certain level. I said that is a big risk, because you have to compete with other players of a higher level and that is not so easy.
"It is the same as at United. He has to compete with higher level players. I want him to play all the matches and that is why I wanted to play him in the Premier League, but he chose Dortmund.
"Now he doesn't play. I am certain he has the talent to play, but he has to learn a lot of things. Talent is important, but so is the character to develop your talent. And he can learn that."
Januzaj's fall from grace has been spectacular since David Moyes gave him his debut and persuaded him to sign a new five-year contract in the autumn of 2013 when a number of leading European clubs were ready to pounce.
But he made only eight starts in Van Gaal's first season and despite working hard on his fitness in the summer does not appear to have made progress this season. Apart from his three starts he made nine appearances as a substitute for Dortmund.
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