Manchester United: Why Donny van de Beek is a great addition for Ole
By Varun Aithal
Donny van Beek will complete his £40m move from Ajax to Man United once he passes his medical in the Netherlands.
After Manchester United fans were getting worried day by day due to the lack of transfer activity by Ed Woodward, their time to enjoy the first signing of the summer is around the corner.
According to the renowned journalist, Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are just hours away from confirming the signing of Donny van de Beek from Ajax. The midfielder is all set to sign a five-year contract with Manchester United until 2025 with him being a medical away.
After facing a huge backlash with zero signings in the summer transfer window while their opposition signs players left, right, and center, Manchester United have finally found the breakthrough in their transfer activity. It is said that Ajax Amsterdam’s Director of Football, Edwin van der Saar has helped his old club wrap up the deal quickly for the Ajax player.
There has been huge appreciation and roar amongst the Manchester United fans regarding Donny van de Beek. The player is highly rated by Ajax and other European giants too. He was one of the four players along with de Ligt, de Jong, and Hakim Ziyech to reach the Champions League 2019 semifinals.
Van de Beek to Man United, here we go! Man Utd tonight as expected have sent their official bid and Ajax just accepted without any negotiation. Agreement reached for €40m + add ons. Paperworks and medicals on next week. 🔴 #MUFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2020
📲 More details: https://t.co/NnU6Sy9R76
Moreover, he is highly applauded by Red Devils’ manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but why?
Here is the reason why Donny van de Beek can be a great addition to Manchester United for the 2020/2021 season:
Manchester United struggled in the midfield during the first half of the 2019/20 season. Despite Fred and Scott McTominay putting in a shift in the absence of Paul Pogba, Manchester United suffered heavily due to the lack of creativity.
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The arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January alleviated the problem and secured them Champions League action for the up and coming season.
Jesse Lingard and Andreas Periera’s average form made Solskjaer use the same starting eleven and same tactical setup in every game. It hurt every fan when Manchester United failed to win against the formidable Sevilla in the Europa League semifinals.
The addition of Donny can sort out this issue for the Norweigan. Not only can he play as a central player, but he can both anchor in the midfield and can create goals for the club. He managers 1.8 key passes per game in the Eredivisie and 1.6 key passes per game in the Champions League.
Also, the player is not shy of taking shots at goal as his numbers are higher compared to that of his future Manchester United compatriots. It is not just taking shots on target but the Netherlands international takes it with high accuracy too.
When the stats of Donny, Fred, McTominay, and Lingard are compared, the Dutchman stands apart in the number of chances created per 90. The player has been a regular starter for Ajax and has created two chances per game for the Dutch outfit. Also, he has created goals using a lay-off technique which makes him a more distinct player than the likes of Andreas Periera and Jesse Lingard.
In the absence of Paul Pogba, the team lacked a box-to-box midfielder who can not only take shots but also keep possession. Though Fred and Scott McTominay executed it to near perfection, there are several instances where United just couldn’t register a victory because of small lapses.
Why Donny van de Beek is a great addition over current midfielders at Old Trafford?https://t.co/1V8TMKMGrw
— ವರುಣ್ ಐತಾಳ್ (@AithalVarunkr) August 31, 2020
Donny van de Beek is the type of box-to-box midfielder who not only recovers the ball well but also has lost possession on very few occasions in the Eredivisie.
Even when Paul Pogba returned, Manchester United looked vulnerable when the Frenchmen had the ball at his feet. The game against West Ham United sums it up. Paul Pogba lost the ball that led to an attacking threat.
Also, against Bournemouth, the Frenchman lost the ball which resulted in a goal for the Cherries. Of all the United midfielders, Pogba has lost possession the most with one of the lowest recovery rates. These small things can affect Man United’s challenge for a title.
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