Manchester United have all but confirmed their first signing of the transfer window, with plenty of reports claiming that they have signed Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek for €40 million.
The 23-year-old has been one of the most sought after midfielders in recent seasons, being linked with a host of other clubs apart from United, including Barcelona and Real Madrid.
However, reports from the highly-trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano have claimed that the two clubs have agreed on terms for the deal, with personal terms also being agreed.
The only steps required are the medical and the official announcement, which are both set to be done over the week.
So what does van de Beek really bring to Manchester United?
First of all, he is a great box-to-box midfielder, and since United have struggled to keep Pogba fit in recent seasons, the Dutchman can be a great replacement for him.
Van de Beek is great going forward, registering 14 goals and seven assists in all competitions last season, even managing 1.7 key passes per game.
He is also brilliant defensively, making an average of 2.1 tackles every game last season, also being quite good at playing as a defensive midfielder.
His versatility is another quality, with him being capable of playing across all areas of central midfield, playing in all three roles very well last season.
Van de Beek is also extremely hard-working, covering every blade of grass possible, something that is needed in a United side that focuses on hitting the opponents on the counter.
Possibly the most important factor is that he actually brings some steady squad depth to United's midfield. Whilst central midfielder might be United's most occupied area, it is filled with deadwood such as Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, both of which being linked with moves away from the club.
On numerous occasions, United have had to settle with just a few solid midfield options, with these being Nemanja Matic, Fred, Paul Pogba and the January signing Bruno Fernandes, with Scott McTominay being plagued by injuries and inconsistency.
At the end of the day, €40 million for such a quality midfielder is a sensational deal, especially since United managed to attract him from other top clubs, and he will surely become a great player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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