One of the stars of Ajax’s fairy-tale run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, Donny van de Beek did not join some of his fellow teammates in leaving for pastures new in the summer. The midfielder struck three times and provided a further two assists in 12 games in the competition, but that seemingly wasn’t enough for rival teams to entice him away.
The likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong both left for Juventus and Barcelona respectively, but Van de Beek stayed put in Amsterdam. And whilst his team crashed out of the Champions League group stages thanks to a defeat against Valencia on Tuesday night, it appears that hasn’t stopped some of European football’s biggest sides retaining a major interest in some of Ajax’s key men.
According to The Daily Mail, as a result of opening the door for Paul Pogba’s exit, Manchester United have “prioritised” signing two central midfielders over the next couple of windows. And along with Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, Van de Beek features prominently on their shortlist. And after hearing their links to the Dutchman, fans of the Manchester side flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the 22-year-old.
A couple of Red Devils fans felt that Van de Beek would fit in well at United, and that he is exactly the kind of player they are currently missing in their first-team squad at the moment.
If Pogba does leave Old Trafford, then a move for Van de Beek would go some way to addressing any issue in losing their French midfielder. The Ajax man has proven he can shine on the biggest stage in his performances in the Champions League last season, so the Red Devils would be pulling off a major coup if they secure his signature.
Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have been raving about this talented ace’s impressive display for the U23s.
