Pranav Nair
Barcelona keen to sign Manchester United target Donny van de Beek to usher in new era
According to the French publication Le10 Sport (h/t Metro), Barcelona are keen to trump Manchester United to Donny van de Beek.
The Catalan giants are healing from an 8-2 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League. Dutch manager Ronald Koeman has taken over at Barcelona and is keen to make Van de Beek his first signing.
The Ajax Amsterdam star has emerged as a consistent performer for the Dutch giants. Having come through the youth ranks at Ajax, he has gone on to make 175 appearances for the club, bagging 41 goals and 34 assists.
The 23-year-old caught the club’s eye in Ajax’s run to the UEFA Champions League semifinals in 2018. He scored key goals against both Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur, leading his side to within a whisker of making the final.
Now two years on, he could reunite with former teammate Frenkie De Jong at the Nou Camp. This is a blow for United, who had identified the Dutchman as an alternative to Jack Grealish.
Available for €35million, he is also a much cheaper option than the Aston Villa skipper.
Quality and quantity are both needed
The arrival of Bruno Fernandes added much-needed dynamism to a United midfield that was starting to grow stale. The Portuguese has also revitalized the fortunes of Paul Pogba.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is however keen to add further to his squad this summer. The likes of Nemanja Matic are not getting any younger and United will need to bring in young players to take his mantle.
The Red Devils also lack strength in depth. It was apparent towards the business end of last season.
With a lack of dependable backups, Solskajer was forced to use the same players over and over again.
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With Koeman in the picture, United’s opportunity to land Van de Beek might have passed. It is yet another example of a passive approach by the management with respect to key transfers.
With the Premier League season fast approaching, United are yet to add anyone this window.
