Manchester United are set to battle Real Madrid for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, as reported by Marca.
The 22-year-old was not part of the Ajax exodus in the summer, but it seems as though he will be leaving at the end of this campaign, as he already has a deal with Los Blancos.
However, it is said that hope is being maintained that the midfielder, who has 14 goals from 33 starts and one substitute appearance in all competitions this season, will be playing his football at Old Trafford next term.
With the above in mind, FFC writers have offered their verdicts on whether United should make a move for him.
Viji Jeevathayalan
“Having been one of the few Ajax stars to stay put in Amsterdam after their thrilling run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, a move for van de Beek would represent stellar business for Man United. The midfielder would provide some much-needed goals from midfield, with the Dutchman netting 14 times and providing a further seven assists in just 34 games across all competitions this season.
“With question marks remaining over the long-term future of Paul Pogba, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ed Woodward could do a lot worse than swooping for Van de Beek. The 22-year-old would be another young, yet experienced signing, and it’s a move Woodward should be all over.”
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Lewis Blain
“Forget Pogba, it’s time to move on from him this summer. Man Utd can instantly reinvest the funds in any potential sale by clinching Ajax midfielder van de Beek. He’d provide perfect support to the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes and could be Juan Mata’s successor in the squad.
“The 22-year-old is said to have “excellent” control and a great eye for a pass and can also make dangerous runs into the box. This is definitely a role Pogba plays under Solskjaer but the Dutchman will come with far less baggage. Ed Woodward must act quickly though, otherwise he’ll be staring down the barrel at another transfer catastrophe – just look at how Erling Haaland has done since joining Dortmund over the Red Devils.”
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Harry Sherlock
“Why didn’t Van de Beek join the exodus of talent from Ajax? The romantic answer is that he felt such a pull to the club that he couldn’t depart, but the other, more cynical view, is that nobody was interested.
“Van de Beek is clearly a talented midfielder but his numbers aren’t exactly fantastic. Per WhoScored, he averages 1.9 shots per game in the Eredivisie, 1.8 key passes, and just one dribble. Defensively, he makes two tackles but that is the only notable defensive stat to his name. Yes, he’s scored eight goals and registered five assists but the Eredivisie is a notably weaker league than the Premier League.
“It may seem like a no-brainer to try to bring him in but this is one that Solskjaer should say no to. Van de Beek isn’t good enough.”
Danny Lewis
“If Pogba departs in the summer then United should definitely be making a move for van de Beek, as he could prove to perfectly complement Bruno Fernandes and Fred.
“His energy in the midfield, as well as his ability to score and assist, which has already been mentioned above, mean that he could certainly be an asset for Solskjaer were the 22-year-old to be signed. Just as importantly, the midfielder has shown that he has the mental strength to step up when it really matters – something that may have been missing at Old Trafford at times.
“This was seen most obviously in the quarter-final of Ajax’s lauded Champions League run last season. Just six minutes after Cristiano Ronaldo had put Juventus ahead, van de Beek found the ball at his feet on the edge of the box, controlled it well and slotted it calmly into the bottom corner.
“It may be deemed a risk to take somebody from a lesser league, but the Dutchman could be the perfect fit for United.”
Meanwhile, FFC has named a transfer battle that United simply must win.