[ad_1]
Good things come to those who wait.
A very simple saying that, if you look at football transfer files, it should always be borne in mind when players first land on British shores.
The Premier League’s bad reputation is another cliché, although when Donny van de Beek used Instagram to show the scars of Manchester United’s victory over Southampton, that too seemed to have some truth.
“Welcome to the Premier League,” was the message accompanying Van de Beek’s post on social media, a picture of a nasty-looking swollen ankle. Added a couple of emojis for good measure, of course. On par from the field, some of his United teammates might say, battle hardened as they are from the English fight and their characteristic physique. Bruno Fernandes is kicked almost weekly.
But perhaps Van de Beek’s ankle pain was an allegory in itself, of the Dutchman’s adaptation to the league. Because in the space of 90 minutes on a cool November day on the south coast of England, the former Ajax player really did herald himself as an integral part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s project at United.
What’s more, he did it with minimal effort. No goals, no assists, hardly any cheers, yet this was truly a historic display for the 23-year-old. Perhaps he knew it himself by hitting the ‘send’ button on Instagram. It’s come a long way since that £ 35 million transfer from the Netherlands.
The strange aspect of this is that the Van de Beek addition itself was quite a bit more understated than it should have been. It was about a player courted by Real Madrid who United managed to get around for a short comparison in a difficult summer transfer window. This was, by the admission of the Ajax bosses, a player of immense talent who they regretted losing. Even United legend Edwin van der Sar, now Ajax CEO, was filled with a mixture of pride and disappointment when Van de Beek headed to Manchester.
Perhaps this is Van de Beek’s style. He was photographed by photographers in Manchester city center last week, arm in arm with his girlfriend and wearing an oversized black coat and clutching a solitary Marks & Spencer bag. He wasn’t screaming about the luxurious lifestyle of a footballer, rather one afternoon at Manchester mizzle doing some early Christmas shopping.
But this is precisely why Solskjaer brought him to United. Van de Beek is humble, hard-working and honest both on and off the field. However, he needed time to impress his nuanced personality on the United team.
And, okay, he made the business in the Champions League home beatings of RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir, but making up a 2-0 deficit at high-flying Southampton and coming out bruised and bloodied, this was the real test. by Donny van de Beek. .
Manchester United secured a spectacular comeback in Southampton on Sunday, thanks in large part to Edinson Cavani’s two goals from the bench.
Bruno Fernandes’ goal put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side on track to rally from 2-0 down at St Mary’s, giving United a third consecutive Premier League victory.
MEN Sport will bring you all the reaction and analysis of United’s victory in Southampton and the preparation for their Champions League clash with PSG in the middle of the week. You can have it all delivered directly to your inbox by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just enter your email address in the registration box at the top of this article, or just follow this link. It’s free and only takes a few seconds.
“Donny has all the technical attributes needed to perform on this team and he has the personality to succeed at Manchester United,” Solskjaer said when United introduced Van de Beek in September.
“His ability to see the space, time his movements and read the game will really complement the qualities we have in midfield and his arrival really strengthens the depth of talent that we have in that position.”
It wasn’t immediately apparent to United fans, nor to Solskjaer, but Van de Beek now complements Bruno Fernandes and United’s front line very well, balancing attack and defense.
It would be unfair to mention Paul Pogba in every Van de Beek discussion, but the Dutch international already looks like a long-term replacement for the fickle Frenchman. Only more consistent.
What a difference 90 minutes can make.
[ad_2]
