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Editor’s Note: Tor-Kristian Karlsen is a Norwegian soccer executive and scout and is the former executive director and sporting director of AS Monaco. He will write regularly for ESPN about the soccer business and the exploration process. In his last column, look at Donny van de Beek, the young attacking midfielder from Ajax who has completed a signing for Manchester United.
While all eyes have been on Manchester United’s efforts to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, the Old Trafford squad quietly secured one of the most promising midfielders in Europe. Last summer, the former Ajax midfielder was strongly linked to Real Madrid after an impressive run from the Champions League to the semifinals in 2018-19, which also saw him score in the knockout rounds against Juventus and Tottenham. . The reported € 45 million transfer fee seems relatively reasonable for a player who is already well developed but still has a sale value and who seems perfectly fit for the Premier League.
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The Dutchman, who has 10 caps for the orange jerseys, offers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equal parts quality and quantity. Primarily an area-to-area midfielder, although he has also had seasons as a “retention” player against defense, Van de Beek exhibits all the essential skills that make up a modern central midfielder. He is excellent on the ball, has an exceptionally well-developed football brain and has the ability to cover a lot of ground.
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Being a product of the Ajax academy and spending five seasons on the first team roster, it goes without saying that any roughness in his game is pretty much polished off already. His touch of the ball is excellent and the way he can turn quickly, often in difficult situations, while maintaining possession is equally impressive.
Van de Beek is also a very productive midfielder. In 135 appearances (Eredivisie and Champions League) he has found the net 33 times and scored 27 goals. His signature goal is the result of a late run, full of momentum and purpose, into the box, most often cutting from the left to finish in the far corner with his favorite right foot. While overly critical ones may point out that his shooting skills still have room for improvement, his ability to find space in the penalty area and anticipate the course of the ball is already at a remarkably high level.
Van de Beek is a great addition to Man United’s midfield. Rico Brouwer / Soccrates / Getty Images
Although technically gifted in his position, van de Beek is by no means a “flashy” or flamboyant player. On the contrary, it is extremely practical: each finesse in possession tends to have a function and serves as a means to keep the game flowing. Its brilliance takes on sharper focus when the pace of the game also picks up; there are few better players to successfully engage in quick combinations in and around the penalty area. Whether it’s a nice touch to set up a teammate for a chance to score or go for a goal himself, the execution is generally of a high standard.
To complement his offensive prowess, the 23-year-old also has the body and build to efficiently handle less glamorous work in midfield. His height (6 feet) is relatively uncommon for such a dynamic and technically tidy footballer, but he’s also happy to make a change defensively, back up, and take opponents off the ball.
Previous scan reports:
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Solskjaer will also be aware of having brought a very positive character. Despite his youth, van de Beek has already captained Ajax on occasion and is a constant source of positive ‘signals’ during a match – take the way he is quick to cheer and applaud his teammates, even when he fails. an attempted pass.
These small details may not seem important to some, but a player’s body language, both during the game and in training, is something that is attracting increasing emphasis among scouts and team officials from all over Europe, who are analyzing each again this aspect along with the more traditional ones. player skills.
Not only have Manchester United captured a potentially influential midfielder, they could even have a future club captain on their hands.
While the Ajax newcomer may perfectly coexist with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, it is not unusual for an ambitious high-level club to have an extensive squad and competition for every venue, it is clear that United are becoming less dependent on Pogba, whose contract with the club expires next summer.
In the meantime, the capture of van der Beek should have no implications for the continued persecution of Sancho. While the new Dutch pick should compete first and foremost for one or two attacking roles in central midfield depending on which system Solskjaer decides to play, Sancho still represents a spectacular potential opportunity to strengthen wide positions up front.
Source: espn.co.uk
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