According to a report by Spanish outlet Sport (h/t Manchester Evening News), Donny van de Beek would be willing to leave Manchester United to join Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The Dutch midfielder joined the Red Devils from Ajax last year but things haven’t gone according to plan since then.
And the report adds that the chances of Van de Beek joining the Catalan side could increase after they missed out on Georginio Wijnaldum, who ended up joining PSG. However, the club is yet to make a call. And now, we look at why United letting Van de Beek leave would be a suitable move for all parties concerned.
Those are the words of Van de Beek’s compatriot, Rafael van der Vaart, who mentioned that the midfielder is ‘far too good’ to be benched for two seasons in a row. Game time has been the main issue for Van de Beek since his move to England. He only managed four Premier League starts for the club this season.
That is certainly not what the club or the player would have expected when a £35million fee for his transfer was agreed. It is clear that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not see Van de Beek as a starter in the league. It is also evident by the fact that the 24-year-old has played in all kinds of position this season.
That includes playing on the left flank, central midfield, in the No.10 role, and also as a defensive midfielder. This results from United having too many options to choose from. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer preferring a 4-2-3-1 formation, realistically, there are just three positions in central midfield to fill in.
And United have a plethora of players available in that position. Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Fred, and Nemanja Matic are more or less regulars in the first-team while Jesse Lingard will return from his loan spell at West Ham United where he impressed over the second half of the season.
Van de Beek is already struggling for starts and Lingard’s entry can only raise competition even more. Even without that, it could be a long way for Van de Beek to break into the starting XI, something which he regularly enjoyed at Ajax. On the financial side of things, there is still time for United to set the books straight.
With Van de Beek signing a 5-year-contract on signing for the club in September 2020, there are four years still left on his current deal. That would put United in a strong position regarding any potential negotiations, and will give them a chance to be financially compensated if the Dutchman ends up leaving.
And as reported by De Telegraaf (h/t The Express), Van de Beek earns around £107,000-a-week at the club. This is surely a heavy figure that United can get off the books if they do end up selling him, freeing up funds for any incomings.
As for the former Ajax midfielder, a move to La Liga will give him a chance to reunite with his former teammate, Frenkie de Jong. If United do get a good offer for Van de Beek, they should not think twice about accepting it.
