According to a recent report by The Daily Mirror, Real Madrid are set to beat Manchester United in the chase to secure the signature of Ajax star Donny van de Beek at the end of this campaign. A source close to the player said (via The Daily Mirror), “It is now too late for United. It is more than 80 per cent certain that Van de Beek will complete a move to Real in the summer.
“The only hope for United is if Madrid pull out of the transfer. But, at this moment, the move is still scheduled to go through in the summer.”
Van de Beek’s Spectacular Rise In The Eredivisie
The Dutch midfielder has enjoyed a brilliant couple of seasons at Ajax helping the club reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the previous campaign. He has continued to perform at a high level for the Amsterdam outfit this term after putting in several match-winning displays at the Dutch capital so far.
Van de Beek has made 26 appearances for Erik ten Hag’s side in this campaign, registering eight goals and eight assists in all competitions. The 22-year-old has been an all-around midfielder for both club and country this season after he averaged 1.7 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 1.7 shots, 1.7 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per match across all fronts (stats via whoscored).
What Makes The Dutch Star Such A Highly Sought After Talent?
Van de Beek is renowned for completing some tireless dribbles in the opposition half. He loves to express himself while operating in the number ten position as a free-flowing attacking midfielder and is the chief playmaker of Ten Hag’s first-team. The Dutch talent has a high work-rate and can create some decent goal-scoring opportunities in the final third. He has also contributed by scoring his fair share of goals from midfield, so it is no surprise that a top club like Real Madrid are interested in his services.
Is Van de Beek A Decent Choice For Zidane?
Van de Beek has all the makings of a world-class midfielder and is more than capable of becoming a future Galactico as long as Zinedine Zidane is willing to give him a chance at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. He will add a lot of goals and assists to the Madrid squad and has enough quality to earn a regular starting berth in the La Liga.
The Ajax academy graduate is about to embark upon the prime years of his playing career which makes him an excellent choice for Los Blancos. Furthermore, Van de Beek could turn out to be an ideal long-term replacement for Luka Modric, who is the last legs of his playing career.
