One player who looks likely to be on the move this summer is Donny van de Beek. The arrival of his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford last year has failed to reignite the career of the Dutch midfielder and the latest reports suggest he could be set for a move to La Liga club Real Sociedad.
Donny van de Beek arrived in Manchester in the summer of 2020 and hopes were high that he’d develop into one of the game’s top midfielders. However, the Ajax academy graduate has never been more than a peripheral figure in Manchester, with even a 2021/22 loan spell at Everton seeing him make just 5 Premier League starts.
Overall, his three years in England have seen Van de Beek start just 11 Premier League matches and score only 3 goals. Despite the arrival of Ten Hag, the 2022/23 campaign was the most frustrating yet for the 26 year old midfielder who only clocked up 164 Premier League minutes and even found meaningful game time hard to come by in the cups. His season was cut short by a serious knee injury sustained against Bournemouth in January.
A fresh start for Donny van de Beek is now surely the best option for all parties. The midfielder is fit again and scored the only goal in Manchester United’s recent friendly win over Lyon in Edinburgh. A number of clubs have been linked with his signature, but Real Sociedad have emerged as the favourites to sign him in recent days.
Donny van de Beek to Real Sociedad: Transfer Update
19/07/2023 – Photo by Icon sport
Real Sociedad’s interest in Donny van de Beek has largely come about following a serious ACL injury suffered by former Manchester City player David Silva last month. The legendary Spanish midfielder was ruled out for the season and subsequently decided to retire from football leaving the Basque club, who will play Champions League football this season, with a pressing need to sign an attacking midfield player.
Formal contact has been established between Manchester United and Real Sociedad regarding the transfer of the player. However no agreement has yet been reached with United reportedly setting a £25m asking price for the Dutchman.
It’s likely that the Red Devils would ultimately be willing to accept less than that figure. Given Van de Beek’s troubled time in England, not to mention the serious injury he is just coming back from, it’s doubtful that United would be able to recoup anything remotely close to the initial £35.7m fee they paid Ajax for his services three years ago.
Real Sociedad will be hungry to make progress with any potential deal though given they are yet to sign a midfielder this summer. Their league opener against Girona is only ten days away while their first Champions League campaign in a decade is also on the horizon.
