As Adnan Januzaj turns 22 he must be wondering where it all went wrong. No more than a bit part player in a team who looked almost doomed to relegation, Januzaj’s fall has been severe. Now playing for the club against whom he made his name, the clamour for his commitment at international level is a distant, alien memory.

While the talent is still there, it is only revealed on the rarest of occasions. Too often invisible, too regularly ineffective or wasteful, the coincidence of sharing his birthday with Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo has proven to be just that. Certainly not an omen, it turns out.

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Januzaj’s career could be rejuvenated during a glorious spell of form, that is the luxury of having the talent. Many players are signed by manager after manager in the hope that they will return to their best form. Sometimes it happens, perhaps we will look back on Januzaj’s Sunderland spell as a blip rather than the norm for his career at the top level.

Many players, however, never quite return to that level. He could return to a Champions League standard winger, but he could, just as easily, end up lingering between the Premier League and Championship. Occasionally showing flashes of his talent and winning a man of the match award twice a season, Januzaj’s career is teetering at the moment. Either path is still possible, but early signs of his post-Manchester United days are not positive. Even in a weak, limping Sunderland squad Januzaj is not lighting up the pitch.

In the crises that have blighted Manchester United since Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Januzaj was one of a very few initial bright points. In reality, though, his performances were inflated. When the positive news is limited, the slightest glimpse of a hero is focused on. Januzaj could have been the saviour for United, but the pressure put on him when only a fledgling young player was crippling.

His development may not have progressed properly anyway, but The Red Devils’ desperation was summed up in their approach to Januzaj. Seen as a beacon of hope in the darkest of times for the club, so much was put on his shoulders as experienced campaigners were underperforming and successive managers were unable to balance the team.

Grasping for any sign that things would turn around at Old Trafford, Januzaj was elevated from a gifted, raw youngster, to a player ready to solve the creative issues in the first team. And now, with the signings made in the summer, he was cast aside into the depths of the Premier League table. He looked every bit a good signing for Sunderland, but his failure to really provide a spark leaves everyone wondering what is next for him.

Happy birthday Adnan Januzaj. Your performances for Manchester United secured your career as a professional footballer, they even secured your financial security for the rest of your life, but there is still so much unharnessed talent.

A waste, perhaps, Januzaj’s demise shows what over-the-top pressure can do to a young player.

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