BBC Sport have confirmed that Manchester United have agreed a £40m fee with Dutch giants Ajax for midfielder Donny van de Beek.

So what will United get if that purchase goes through?

Firstly they will get a valuable extra option in the central midfield area.

Last term both Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic suffered from injuries and the team missed both experienced stars. Fred and Scott McTominay weren’t fully on form for all parts of last term and I feel time might be up for Andreas Pereira at Old Trafford.

Van de Beek can play as an orthodox central midfielder, as a number ten or even as a holding player. That versatility again bolsters United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s options in the middle of the park.

The twenty-three year old already has a wealth of experience. He has made more than 100 Eredivisie appearances in last four seasons and was also key in Ajax’s impressive runs in the Europa League and Champions League in recent years. Donny will also bring a winning mentality with him, having won three medals during his time playing in his homeland.

The Netherlands international has a keen eye for goal or to set up chances for teammates. During his time in Amsterdam, Van de Beek scored 41 times and created 34 assists. He has the vision to create in crowded areas and that could bode well for United’s attackers next season. His ability to time a run is crucial to his scoring of goals, the Dutchman often arrives late and with space to put away chances much like the much talked about Kai Havertz.

On the ball he can be very efficient, last season he averaged at 80% for his passing success rate. He has the engine to get from box to box and help both defensively and in attack during games. The crafty midfielder also possesses neat footwork and that allows him to dribble beyond opponents and turn in tight corners.

The versatile star remains composed under pressure and that adds to his defensive traits. He averaged 2 tackles per league game last term and a six foot, he’ll give United some extra height in the middle of the park.

Donny’s style has attracted glances from Europe’s top clubs and compliments from great managers. Before a Champions League tie with Tottenham Hotspur, then Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino stated his admiration:

“Van de Beek. Nobody talks much about him,”

“But he has a dynamic in the game, he gets behind Tadic, he arrives, he works, he scores goals.

“Logically, I love De Jong and De Ligt. But the example of the operation of this Ajax is Van de Beek. I like very much. They have a young player, from the academy, in each line, that shows what the team is.”

Pochettino via Planetfootball.com

These are all plus points for Solskjaer and Man United as they look to add to their squad and become realistic Premier League title challengers again.

People are all ready questioning Donny van de Beek’s ability to get into the Manchester United team and he hasn’t even signed yet. But as a squad he will bolster United greatly and I won’t be surprised to see him move around The Red Devils engine room as they try and battle on all fronts during the next campaign.

Posted on September 1st, 2020 by scott
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