Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek in action. (Getty Images)
According to Bleacher Report, Everton are weighing up a move for Ajax ace Donny van de Beek next summer, with manager Marco Silva looking for options to spark creativity in the final third.
The same report claims that a number of top European clubs are scouting the talented midfielder, with Serie A giants AC Milan most interested in making a move for the 21-year-old at the end of the season.
A youth product of the famous Ajax academy, van de Beek made his senior professional debut for his boyhood club against Celtic in the Europa League back in 2015. Since then, the Dutchman has gone on to establish himself as one of the mainstays of Ajax’s midfield, playing a crucial role as the club finished runners-up to Man United in the Europa League a couple of seasons back.
The Dutch prodigy has accumulated a total of 26 goals and 19 assists from 122 appearances for Ajax across all competitions, returns which are quite sensational given that he has played in a withdrawn role for the most part of his fledgeling career.
Van de Beek has been one of the driving forces behind Ajax’s march to the quarterfinals of the Champions League this season, playing a key role in the humbling of Real Madrid in the last 16. He has been in fine form in the Eredivisie as well, registering 6 goals and 7 assists from 23 appearances.
Standing at 6ft. with a well-built frame, Donny van de Beek is a technically-gifted and tactically-versatile midfielder who is comfortable playing in No.6, No. 8 and No.10 roles in the midfield. Although he has been used in the hole behind the striker at times, the Dutchman is most effective when deployed in a slightly withdrawn role.
Blessed with exceptional ball control, above-average dribbling skills and a sharp presence of mind, van de Beek has a wonderful eye for a pass which makes him a prized asset in the midfield. A central midfielder by trade, he is more than capable of sticking out his foot and cutting out the attacks with some crunching challenges.
To go with creative passing and ball retention skills, he is also adept at linking up with his teammates further up the pitch, often making intelligent runs into the box to get into scoring positions. Furthermore, he has a magical right foot that is capable of finding the net from anywhere outside the penalty area.
To put things into perspective, he would be a wonderful addition to any top Premier League side but West Ham should look to use their financial muscle to bring the Dutchman to east London next season. The fans at the London Stadium witnessed big-names like Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere come arrive through the door last summer and the acquisition of Donny van de Beek would certainly work wonders for the Hammers.
Having shown obvious signs of improvement in their first season under Manuel Pellegrini, it is now time for the Hammers to consolidate and challenge the big-six in the Premier League. And signing a top-quality central midfielder should be at the top of the manager’s priority list. Mark Noble has largely underwhelmed with his displays while 32-year-old Carlos Sanchez has spent large spells on the sidelines. Pedro Obiang has never looked like the real deal since his move to the Premier League and Jack Wilshere is too injury-prone to rely upon.
Hence, Donny van de Beek, with his well-rounded attributes and versatility to play multiple roles, certainly ticks all the boxes to be a marquee signing for the Hammers.