Manchester United will sign their first player of the summer transfer window with a £ 40million conquest from Ajax star Donny van de Beek.
Old Trafford Club are hoping to land a deal for the midfielder in the coming days after offering him a five-year deal.
He was also closely associated with Real Madrid prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, but now he’s about to move to the Premier League.
But where will the Dutch international fit in with United? Here, Sportsmail explores the options available to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he attempts to build a team capable of fighting for the Premier League title.
Manchester United will complete the £ 40million conquest of Ajax star Donny van de Beek
The Dutch midfielder is a perfect match for United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first XI
Where would Van de Beek fit in with Manchester United?
Put simply, the 23-year-old is playing in a position that would not have been a priority for many at the start of the transfer window.
However, that does not mean that his signing does not come with a host of perks that could benefit United in Solskjaer’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba formed an excellent understanding in United midfield after the Premier League restart in June.
The versatile Van de Beek – dubbed the classic box-to-box midfielder – will almost certainly now step into this midfield trio as a player who can act in a central or offensive role.
The 23-year-old was able to operate with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes as No. 10 in midfield
Nemanja Matic could therefore be the biggest casualty of the Dutchman’s arrival, as Van de Beek is more than capable of playing the creative outlet in a pivot, with Pogba acting in his usual box-to-box role and Fernandes as the number 10 plays.
While the Dutch international also has the ability to play anywhere in the middle, he could be the link between the defense and the forward line as well as the man who gets the best defenders into trouble by running into the box late to himself To score goals.
Last season he scored ten goals in all competitions, including eight in the Eredivisie and one in the Champions League and Europa League. This enabled him to improve United’s productivity in attack areas.
The Dutchman has scored 10 goals and made 11 assists for the Eredivisie last season
Why did United decide to sign it?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is well aware that a fantastic first XI will not be enough to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League this season.
The Norwegian will expect younger stars like Mason Greenwood to drop out at some point this season. This is one of the many reasons United have publicly followed the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.
Whether Sancho will land at Old Trafford before October 5 remains to be officially decided, but regardless, Van de Beek is adding the much-needed squad depth at United.
Serbian Nemanja Matic could be the biggest victim of Van de Beek’s arrival at Old Trafford
Age isn’t on Matic’s side as the Serb turned 32 in early August, while ongoing ankle injuries have kept Pogba from performing strongly last season, especially the first half of the season.
Fred and Scott McTominay, graduates of the academy, have shown in a flash that they are capable of forming a part of Solskjaer’s roster, but they currently lack the consistency to become regulars.
Solskjaer, who has a large list of fixtures in all competitions in less time this season, has to keep his legs fresh in midfield. With his Champions League experience, Van de Beek seems like a midfielder he can barely afford down.
The 23-year-old could also ease the physical strain on United star Paul Pogba
Could he exonerate Pogba and Fernandes?
Definitely, and the stats from his last season in his native Netherlands before they were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic seem to back it up.
With his incredible versatility, he made eleven assists for Ajax last season. With United often relying too heavily on Fernandes for their creativity, Van de Beek seems like the perfect player to help out the club’s deadly trio of strikers.
Of those assists, five came in last season’s Eredivisie, where the 23-year-old scored six scoring opportunities for his teammates in 23 games.
Van de Beek has even been praised as a seal of approval by former Arsenal and Netherlands star Dennis Bergkamp.
In addition to Star January, who signs Bruno Fernandes, United will also have another creative outlet
When Frank de Boer became Ajax boss in 2010, Bergkamp, who was promoted to his assistant, told him almost immediately about Van de Beek: “Dennis started talking enthusiastically about a talent in his youth team.
“It was a boy who reminded Dennis of himself at that age. That was the signal for me to keep an eye on this guy. That was Donny. ‘
Given that he is likely to be given a central role, he has to work the other way, but it seems he excels in this area too.
According to Whoscored.com, Van de Beek has played an average of two tackles per game in the Eredivisie.
Van de Beek has already shown his talent to the English opposition at Chelsea this season
That number is the same as it was for Matic in the Premier League last season and should fear United could easily be exposed in the background ahead of the coming season.
Van de Beek therefore looks extremely knowledgeable and can help United defenses by sitting back and inserting the hard graft if necessary.
Van de Beek is a complete midfielder who has already shown his talent against the English opposition against Chelsea and Tottenham in the last two Champions League games. He seems to be a hit in the Premier League.
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