Donny van de Beek prioritising transfers to three European leagues after Bundesliga loan

Donny van de Beek’s agent claims that Manchester United are not willing to sell the Dutch midfielder to another Premier League club.

I’m slightly confused by that stance because United should be looking for the highest bidder when it comes to Van de Beek. Not only are United guaranteed to make a loss on the former Ajax star, he hardly had an impact when he joined Everton on a short-term loan in 2022.

The 27-year-old signed for United after the clubs agreed on a £40 million deal in 2020. Van de Beek has made little to no impact since then and has failed to impress multiple managers, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag, even though the latter had him playing well at Ajax.

Van de Beek is expected to leave on a permanent deal at the end of the season, after spending the second half of this campaign on loan with Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Netherlands international has been unable to secure a place in the Bundesliga side’s team and they are not taking up their option to buy him for £9.5m. That would suggest that United may struggle to find a new club for Van de Beek.

Guido Albers, who works as Ten Hag’s agent, has ruled out a possible move to Ajax this summer and is now targeting a move to La Liga, Serie A or Ligue 1.

When asked about being reunited with Van de Beek after their split in October 2021, Albers said on ESPN’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie on Sunday (via Metro): “I think that’s wonderful, he has been away from me for a while.

“For me it is a very nice moment in his career to pick up again. We said together, ‘back to basics’.

“He’s lost that a bit in recent years. He is hungry and eager to please. I came to an agreement with Frankfurt for him. Frankfurt still had an option until June 30, which they will not exercise. Officially he is now going back to Manchester United and I am now in discussions with him.

“Donny does not want to stay in the Premier League, also because United do not want that. That is not a good choice for him. He needs to return to a club that plays good football. In any case, he will not return to Ajax.

“My preference was to look in Spain, Italy or France. If I could get him in Spain or Italy that would be fantastic, at a club where he will play as a No.10 like he played at Ajax.

“You see that the Dutch are successful in a certain way in Spanish or Italian football.

“He was very close to a transfer to Real Sociedad last summer. That was cancelled at the last minute because Erik ten Hag wanted to keep him until the last minute. Then he ended up at Frankfurt.”