Manchester United are set to make a big money move for Dutch star Donny Van de Beek, according to ESPN. Ajax, having been knocked out the Champions League at the group stage and therefore missed out on the revenue from the KO rounds, are now vulnerable to big money offers for their big names – could Van de Beek be the first out the door?
After the loss to their bitter rivals Manchester City last night, United boss Ole Gunnar Solksjaer told press the club are looking to make some moves this winter. He told the media that any potential transfers will be done on a basis of “if it isn’t the right thing, we won’t do anything”.
United have reportedly set an attacking midfielder as their primary target in this window, given the poor form of the likes of Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira. This season, Lingard has bagged just one goal and one assist in 27 appearances across all competitions, while Pereira has managed one goal and three assists in 26 games. Meanwhile, Van de Beek has made 26 appearances for Ajax this season in all comps – bagging eight goals and eight assists so far.
Exactly what United are missing
The 22-year-old Dutch star is exactly the type of player United have been missing this season, especially with the injury to Paul Pogba. He will add goals and a fresh feel to a United midfield that has struggled to maintain any sort of form throughout the season so far. Played as either a traditional number ten, or even a box-to-box midfielder – Van de Beek will be a welcome addition.
According to the report from ESPN, he will cost United somewhere in the region of £50million, but given that he is already a fantastic player and is still only 22, it’s a fee worth paying. Solksjaer has proven he loves a young player with the ability to develop, and Van de Beek most certainly fits that bill.
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