Manchester United to hijack Real Madrid’s transfer target this summer
Manchester United look to hijack Real Madrid’s top transfer target.
Manchester United and Real Madrid – two of European football’s biggest powerhouses – have had a very rich and long history when it comes to transferring players from one end to another.
From David Beckham to Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo to Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, Real Madrid have had enjoyed the services of some of the best United had.
On the other hand, the lastest transfer that had seen a galactico appearing at the green turf of Old Trafford was back in 2014. It was a routine summer day when United paid a then-British-record transfer fee of £59.7 million for Argentine superstar Angel Di Maria. And the rest is history.
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With Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez believing in one mantra ‘the business must go on’, Los Blancos’ long-lasting interest to lure French World Cup winner Paul Pogba at the capital of Spain means that the relationship still has some longevity left in it.
But, this time Manchester United’s former goalscorer and current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come up with a smart move to checkmate Real Madrid in this upcoming summer transfer window.
According to several reports from The Times and Dutch outlet de Telegraaf (subscription required), Manchester United have restored their interest in Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, who has been on the radar of Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane for some time now.
It is also suggested that the 23-year-old has already agreed on a verbal agreement with Real Madrid. As per what the reports hint, the deal could see the 13-times Champions League winning side paying €55 million (about £49 million) for the Dutch prodigy.
There are also concerns that Real Madrid might not take the risk of splashing that amount of money amidst the financial dilemma caused by the coronavirus crisis. And eventually, the move may not materialise in the upcoming window.
United want to take advantage of Real Madrid’s incompetency by landing the Dutch asset to the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ this summer. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his management believed to be big admirers of the young midfielder, the Red Devils are desperate to see the move go through.
At the same time, United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, is adamant to explore transfer options amidst the financial chaos. Besides making money, the main goal for the club management has become conveying the name of Manchester United to where it belongs.
Talking about Donny van de Beek, the 23-year-old has been a star man in Ajax’s current side, having scored eight goals and racked up five assists from 23 appearances in Edervisie this term.
The early cancellation of the Dutch league due to the outbreak, without choosing a champion, has already left a dark spot in Dutch football. Players have publically criticized the league authorities for taking the decision too early. And it is expected that some might leave the league for this very cause.
This season, Van de Beek has recorded a successful passing ratio of 82.2% with an eye-catching 1.9 shots per game. In Champions League, the Dutchman has added two goals and one assist to his name from five starts. A hamstring injury has seen him miss 4 matches for the Dutch side term in the 2019-20 campaign.
From the stats, one can definitely say that he has that attacking element in his game, with the variety of playing different positions. Whoscored stats reveal that Van de Beek has been used in three different positions this season – central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and defensive midfielder.
However, while playing as a central midfielder, Van de Beek has been the most dangerous, providing Ajax with six goals and six assists while donning the particular position. A player like Van de Beek could be a useful element to Solskjaer’s fluid counter-attacking football.
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Do you think Van de Beek could be a great signing for Manchester United?