Tag Archives: Donny van de Beek

Man Utd: How have the late-summer signings done so far at Old Trafford?

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Manchester United aren’t expected to be highly active during the January transfer window, despite the fact that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could desperately do with one or two new faces at Old Trafford.

Given the recent reports from the English press, the Red Devils are looking to offload the likes of Daniel James, Phil Jones and Timothy Fosu-Mensah, whilst there are mild rumours of a potential signing Moises Caicedo, who is a 19-year-old defensive-midfielder that plays for Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle and has been recommended to the club by ex-player Antonio Valencia.

As there is still a number of defensive deadwood remaining in the squad, it would not be a surprise to see the club sell some individuals before they decide to buy anyone. In the meantime, putting the possible ins and outs to a side of the January transfer window, it’s time to look at the players that came into the club at the start of the season and analyse on how well they are doing so far.

With no further ado, here is the review of each individual that have arrived at Old Trafford…

Alex Telles

It took quite some time for Alex Telles to receive his first appearance and actually get going for Manchester United, as he was returning to full fitness since the last time he had played for previous club FC Porto in the Portuguese league. Even after his debut against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, which he performed at a top level as a left wing-back, the Brazilian was unable to play further as he was tested positive for COVID-19 whilst being away on international break.

Even though he was out on the sidelines for a couple of United games, Telles has been able to provide the ideal competition to regular starter Luke Shaw, who has taken his performances and contribution on both sides of the pitch to a whole new level this campaign. Not only that, but he has also produced quite a few good personal displays against the likes of West Brom, Southampton, West Ham and Sheffield United, with the best is yet to come from the 28-year-old left-back.

Rating: 7/10

Donny van de Beek

With only 253 minutes of Premier League football under his belt, eight out of his ten league appearances coming in the latter stages of the game from the bench, it’s not been the dream start for Donny van de Beek and his new adventure at Old Trafford. As the number ten position is covered by the key player in Bruno Fernandes, it is unlikely that the former Ajax midfielder is expected to get game time, but he may be kindly rotated into the team with the EFL and FA Cup fixtures coming up.

It is difficult to review how the Dutchman is doing for Manchester United, as he has not been given enough minutes to prove himself to everyone, and most importantly to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, with the Red Devils remaining in the cup competitions, along with the return of Europa League next month and their pursuit of finishing as high as possible in the Premier League, it can easily be stated that van de Beek will feature more from now till the end of the current season.

Rating: 5/10

Edinson Cavani

In 300 minutes of league football and in his first season in England, Edinson Cavani has notched three goals and two assists, which is the type of influence one would expect from a world class striker that has proven himself in France and Italy for the last 12 years. His best performance so far was away at Southampton, where he came on at half-time as the team were down by two goals, and his two goals and assist for Bruno Fernandes’ goal allowed the team to make a magical comeback.

On top of that, the Uruguayan forward can be the perfect individual for the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to learn from, as his movement off the ball and ruthlessness in front of goal is what they need. If Cavani can end the season with helping the players in his department and assist the team to win a trophy or two, he will surely be considered as a top notch signing.

Rating: 8.5/10

Man Utd: Donny van de Beek’s time has come to make a name for himself

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Since joining Manchester United in the summer from AFC Ajax for a fee of £40million, Donny van de Beek has not had the perfect of starts to his new adventure at Old Trafford. So far this season, he has only made six league appearances, which have all been from the bench, where he has completed only 88 minutes of English football in his first months under manager Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer.

However, with the recent knocks to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, he was given his first Premier League start against Southampton, where he was able to show his intelligence on the ball, impressive movement and ability to help the team tick from midfield to attack. The Dutchman played the full game, completing 38 successful passes in 64 touches of the ball, winning seven out of 12 ground duels as well as achieving four tackles, proving to show how complete he is as a player.

Van de Beek is more than capable of playing in different tactical roles in midfield, from being a ball progressor in a double pivot to a box to box midfielder in the number eight position, and also as the advanced midfielder in the number ten role, which he thrived within at Ajax. In his final season in Eredivise, he produced eight goals and five assists in 23 league appearances, as he excelled as the attacking player in a three-man midfield, through his unique way of thinking outside of the box.

With a huge number of fixtures coming up for Manchester United in the month of December, including matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Leipzig, Manchester City, Leeds United, Leicester City and Wolves, Solskjaer will have to ensure the midfield department is rotated effectively to avoid any problems with fatigue or issues with injuries. On that note, van de Beek is surely expected to receive enough game time and appearances, in order to prove himself to the manager and to his critics.

Following his impressive performances recently at home to Istanbul Basaksehir and now away at Southampton, the Old Trafford faithful will be hoping that the central midfield can build on from this and continue to establish a strong combination with his midfield team-mates in Bruno Fernandes and Fred. And if he is able to help the team on both sides of the pitch, it would not be a surprise to see Pogba leaving in the January window, who has been linked with both Juventus and Real Madrid.

Given that both Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have had major problems in breaking down the opposition’s low blocks in the past, they finally have a midfielder other than Bruno Fernandes available to them, in van de Beek, who is capable of overcoming pressure on and off the ball and is adaptable to making the necessary interception or tackle.

Overall, it is too early for the critics and for the English media to write off a player like Donny van de Beek, who has been slowly eased into the club and into the line-up as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had some difficulties in finding the right balance and consistency in midfield. Once the 23-year-old hits the ground running and is a regular starter for the side, the only way is up for all parties involved.

4-3-3: How Man Utd could line up with van de Beek

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Manchester United have this evening completed the signing of Donny van de Beek in a £35 million deal from Ajax.

The highly-rated midfielder played a key role in the Dutch giants’ surprise semi-final run in the 2018-19 Champions League, which included scoring an important goal in the victory at Juventus.

This deal appears to be a massive coup for the Red Devils, who have tied the Dutch international down to a five-year deal at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer employs a 4-3-3 system most of the time, which makes it particularly interesting to see where van de Beek will fit into the team. He’s not a holding midfielder and Bruno Fernandes is arguably the first name on the team sheet.

Does this mean Paul Pogba is set to depart Manchester United this summer? It will most likely be to help the Norwegian manager rotate this side.

it was noticeable after the restart that Solskjaer lacked confidence in many of the squad players as there was very little rotation, particularly as they were playing two games a week as a result of their run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

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Will Real Madrid be watching Donny van de Beek at Getafe?

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Zinedine Zidane had a wish list for the summer. The Real Madrid manager wanted a left back, a centre back a wide forward and a central striker. And a central midfielder. The Frenchman got everything he wanted with the exception of the latter. No new central midfielder arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer.

Of course, much was made of Los Blancos’ pursuit of Paul Pogba. Zidane spoke publicly about the World Cup winner in the belief that a deal would ultimately be struck with Manchester United. Pogba, however, stayed at Old Trafford and Real Madrid were left without the midfielder they wanted.

Their desperate need was eased by the emergence of Fede Valverde with the Uruguayan becoming one of the first names on Zidane’s team sheet this season. Los Blancos are still in need of a central midfielder, though, especially with Luka Modric out of contract at the end of the season.

Donny van de Beek is widely believed to be on the radar of the Santiago Bernabeu club. Real Madrid reportedly made a late offer for the Dutchman towards the end of the summer window, but couldn’t fund a move. Their interest is thought to be long-standing, though, and so it’s entirely possible that van de Beek could still end up in the Spanish capital.

The 22-year-old will be in Madrid this week with Ajax set to take on Getafe in the last 32 of the Europa League. While Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt got big moves last summer, joining Barcelona and Juventus respectively, van de Beek stayed for another season and is one of the Amsterdam club’s leaders.

He has been in good form of late even considering Ajax’s early exit from the Champions League. Erik ten Haag’s side will surely be one of the frontrunners to go all the way in the Europa League and van de Beek can underline his importance to his team with a strong display against Getafe on Thursday.

Recent reports put Ajax’s asking price for their prize asset at €55 million. In the current inflated market, that represents good value. Pogba, on the other hand, will cost at least double that if he is to be prised from Manchester United. At 22 the signing of van de Beek would also represent an investment in the future with the Dutchman also capable of filling a gap in the present.

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Van de Beek would fit Real Madrid’s new policy better than Pogba

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It has been one of the transfer sagas of the summer, but the closer the deadline looms the less likely it appears that Paul Pogba will become a Real Madrid player. Zinedine Zidane has spoken warmly about the Frenchman, the player himself has made clear his desire to join, but Manchester United have refused to budge.

Indeed, the Old Trafford outfit’s valuation of Pogba – around £150 million according to reports – has priced Real Madrid out of a move in a summer window in which they have already splurged £300 million on new players. This has led them to reportedly look at other midfield options.

Donny Van de Beek is one of those options. He was one of the breakthrough stars of Ajax’s run to the semi finals of the Champions League last season, turning in a particularly impressive performance against Real Madrid in the round of 16. Maybe it was then that Zidane first thought about the prospect of the Dutchman in his team.

With Pogba out of reach, at least for this summer, Real Madrid are treating Van de Beek as their secondary target. However, the 22-year-old would arguably fit their new transfer strategy better than Pogba. If the Spanish giants are building for the future then Van de Beek represents this better than the Frenchman.

Of course, the signing of Eden Hazard from Chelsea is something of an outlier here. The Belgian is 28 and in his peak years. Looking past Hazard, though, Real Madrid have prioritised the targeting of young players who have yet to reach their peak. Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Luka Jovic, Rodrygo… the strategy has been clear.

Van de Beek would fit into this.. At 22 years old, he is already considered one of the best central midfielders in the game. Real Madrid could build around him for years to come, especially with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric seemingly fading as forces at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Pogba is a different sort of player to Van de Beek. Jose Mourinho wanted him to be an anchoring midfielder when Pogba has always found his best form further up the pitch. Would Zidane liberate him in this way or make the same mistakes Mourinho did during his time at Manchester United?

It feels like Real Madrid have one last big signing in them this summer. Some will see their failure to land Pogba as an embarrassment, such is their status as the ‘Galacticos,’ but Van de Beek might actually turn out to be a better option, but in the short and the long term.

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Summer Shopping: Serie A’s Top Five Targets

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With the year winding down to a close, most Serie A sides already have one eye on the summer transfer window. While this past season may not have gone to plan for most of Serie A’s elite, a majority of them are just a couple of additions away from being serious competitors. Here’s one player for each of the league’s top five. For brevity, Atalanta and Lazio among others have been excluded.

1) Juventus: Tanguy NDombele (Lyon)

After yet another European failure, it’s time Juventus address their midfield issues once and for all. Lyon’s Tanguy NDombele is among world football’s hottest prospects in the middle of the park, and has demonstrated he’s ready to play for a bigger club. Just this season, NDombele went head-to-head with both Barcelona and Manchester City’s deep midfield ranks, and did not look one bit out of place.

Just recently, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas came out and said he’d willingly sell NDombele to Juventus ahead of other suitors, provided “his friend” Andrea Agnelli pays up. The Frenchman would slot in seamlessly alongside Ramsey and Pjanic, however, it remains to be seen if NDombele is a concrete target for Juventus.

2) Napoli: Donny van de Beek (Ajax) 

The Ajax midfielder may not get as much credit as his fellow compatriots Frenkie de Jong, and Matthijs de Ligt, but he’s proven to be just as important for them between the lines. van de Beek burst onto the scene this season, and emerged as a essential aspect to Erik ten Hag’s tactical schemes, roaming between the opposition’s lines at will, and getting himself into dangerous scoring positions. Outside of his crucial goals against Juventus and Tottenham, van de Beek is good with the ball at his feet like most Ajax graduates, and would slot in wonderfully into Napoli’s midfield.

Since Hamsik’s departure, the partenopei have lacked a driving force in the midfield, and van de Beek could prove to be exactly what’s needed. Alongside Fabian Ruiz, expect the Dutchman to wreck havoc. Napoli could also use a fullback, but that goes without saying.

3) Inter: Timothy Castagne (Atalanta)

Inter are one of the most well-rounded outfits in Serie A outside of Napoli and Juventus, and don’t require much tweaking this summer. With Mauro Icardi and Lautaro Martinez up top, and the trio of de Vrij, Skriniar and Godin at the back, Inter are simply lacking a manager to put it all together. Should Antonio Conte arrive as it’s being reported, he will undoubtedly field a back three, with his traditional wing-backs in a 3-5-2 setup.

With both the back-line and strike partnership more or less sorted as well as the midfield, Inter could use another wingback as they are unlikely to redeem Vrsaljko or Cedric. Here’s where Atalanta’s Timothy Castagne comes in. The Dutchman has been a key element to Gasperini’s side over the years as a wing-back, and is a traditional Conte player. Castagne’s play is eerily reminiscent of a prime Stephan Lichtsteiner, however, blessed with more end-product. As a result, I expect him to become a priority for Marotta, whether or not Conte arrives.

4) Roma: Juan Musso (Udinese)

This past summer Roma tried replacing Alisson with Swedish international Robin Olsen, and Serie A journeyman Antonio Mirante. Neither have proven to be a long-term solution to the departed Brazilian, leaving the giallorossi without a reliable number one going into next season. Luckily, there are a number of up and coming shot-stoppers in Serie A that Roma could turn to.

While Alessio Cragno and Alfred Gomis are interesting options, Roma should look no further than Udinese’s Juan Musso. The Argentine has gone from strength to strength this season, and has made the number one spot his own in Friuli with a string of impressive performances. In the past, Roma have shown a propensity to take a risk on goalkeepers on the cusp, and should do the same with Musso. They won’t regret it.

5) Milan: Hakim Ziyech (Ajax) 

Where to begin with Milan? The rossoneri could use a creative midfielder, a left winger and arguably another centre back. Ajax’s Ziyech checks off two of these boxes and should be made a priority in Milanello. With just a 25 million euro release clause, Ziyech is both cost-effective, and has the potential to become a world class player in the near future.

As he’s typically deployed as a ball dominating, out-and-out winger, his signing would take off some of the creative burden from the likes of Suso, Paqueta, and would even allow Calhanoglu to feature centrally more regularly. Not to mention, Ziyech has tormented elite opposition this season, be it in the Champions League or in the Eredivisie. Milan shouldn’t say no to his teammate David Neres either if Ziyech isn’t feasible.

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Ajax take a step back to go forward and are on the verge of Champions League final

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ajax(1)

Ajax beat Tottenham in London in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final to claim a vital away goal and a fantastic win.

To be fair it isn’t often that we have witnessed both teams get this far in the competition. Indeed for Tottenham it is the first since the rebranding of the competitions name in 1992/93 and their first since 1962.

For Ajax the last time the team were this good was in 1996 when they reached their second Champions League final in a row only to lose on penalties against Juventus. But rewind a year before when Ajax won the competition and beat the great Milan side of the 90s in the process.

That Ajax side were remembered for the youths that came through the side and stunned European football. Players such as Patrick Kluivert, Marc Overmars, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids and Jari Litmanen just to name a few. All went on to play for the biggest sides in Europe- but that night will always remain the most special for the players.

The 1995 win was also the first for the club since 1973 when they won 3 European Cups in a row between 1971-73, headed by the great Johan Cruyff. There has always been quality and a sense of total football with Ajax since the 70s but since the early 2000s the club have suffered.

Youngsters were not coming through as frequently and when, on rare occasions, they did they would be sold and moved on when they were clearly too young. A new generation did threaten a couple of years ago when Ajax reached the Europa League final against Manchester United, but the Dutch side were simply not ready for Jose Mourinho’s side at that point.

This season has been unbelievable for them. They look on course to win the Dutch league and have been phenomenal in the Champions League. Not only did they end Real Madrid’s 3 year hold on the competition they destroyed them in their own back yard winning 4-1.

Next up was Juventus and not just any old Juventus, but the club that had bought Ronaldo from Madrid in order to win their first Champions League since 1996. But Ajax stayed professional throughout and won 3-2 over 2 legs, impressively beating Juventus in Italy.

In some ways this match up with Tottenham was fascinating. Ajax had rarely faced a stronger Tottenham side but Tottenham had never faced such a skilful and peaceful Ajax team. The way Ajax started the game in Tottenham’s new stadium was incredible- one was reminded of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona from 2011.

It is a joy to behold to see how strong Ajax have become- the 2nd leg is still up for grabs of course but it does look like Ajax have one foot in the final. The likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Donny van de Beek,- who scored against Tottenham, Frenkie de Jong and Hakim Ziyech have been a revelation and a shot in the arm for European football.

Can Ajax recall teams of the past and make it to the final and possibly even win it- it’s not such a pipedream like it was at the beginning of the year. It feels like a reality and it is clear that Ajax mean business.

Ajax secure their place in the KNVB Beker semi final

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Donny van de Beek

Just four days after throwing away a two goal lead to draw with Heerenveen, Ajax faced them again in the KNVB Beker quarter final last night. By surrendering the win they had also lost their opportunity to go top of the Eredivisie table, so will have been eager to put things right in the cup.

That was evident, as it took Ajax just over two minutes to get themselves ahead. Rasmus Nissen Kristensen was played down the line by Hakim Ziyech. When the Dane got to the ball he made a low pass into the box, which Donny van de Beek dummied for Noussair Mazraoui who finished the move with a first time side footed finish past Warner Hahn.

It only took them until the 16th minute to double their lead. Ziyech sent a corner to the back post, Matthijs de Ligt rose above his marker but couldn’t get a clean contact on the ball to send it towards goal. Instead it dropped down to van de Beek who was on hand to volley it into the net.

There was a moment of concern for Ajax though, as Mazraoui –who’d been playing in a central midfield role rather than at right back- was brought off injured in the 30th minute. The Moroccan had been hurt after making a shot in the 24th minute, he tried to play on but eventually had to be replaced by Lasse Schöne.

Ajax remained dominant after the change and added a third goal in the 38th minute. Daley Blind played a superb pass for Dušan Tadić to chase down the line. Once the Serbian got there he dinked it past the goalkeeper and into the six-yard box, where van de Beek beat the defender and pounced to get the ball into the goal.

Despite going into half time three goals up, Ajax will have been wary of giving Heerenveen any hope of getting back into the game after the events on Sunday. They remained comfortable for the majority of the match, dominating possession and controlling every aspect of the play.

That is until the 84th minute, when Kristensen received the ball from Schöne inside his own box and played a blind pass intended for André Onana. Rather than going back to the Ajax goalkeeper, it went straight to the feet of Pelle van Amersfoort who took one touch to turn, used another to get it out of his feet, opened his body and curled the ball out of Onana’s reach to make it 3-1.

Suddenly things didn’t seem so easy for the Amsterdammers as madness ensued. In the 88th minute debutant Lisandro Magallán conceded a penalty when he brought Sam Lammers down inside the box. The striker on loan from PSV had been the main thorn in Ajax’s side on the weekend, as it was his two goals which helped Heerenveen secure the draw, so there was a feeling he was going to upset the balance of the game again. However, his penalty was saved well by Onana, who sprung to his left to keep the ball out with his midriff.

That save was enough to quash any late comeback hopes from Heerenveen, with the final score settling at 3-1. Ajax will now face either Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar or Willem ll in the semi final as they look to win the KNVB Beker for the first time since 2010.