https://www.skysports.com/football/...d-sign-midfielder-from-ajax-on-five-year-deal https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...fficially-announces-donny-van-de-beek-signing
Good flexible signing, covers a lot of positions at a good age and at very good value (ps thanks Edwin!) Hi everyone, Hope you're well.Just announcing @Donny_Beek6.Regards, @ManUtd. pic.twitter.com/Exq6b2M5jy— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 2, 2020 Van de Beek: "Having spoken to the manager about his vision for this team, the direction that the club is going in is hugely exciting and I cannot wait to be a part of that." #mulive [mu]— utdreport (@utdreport) September 2, 2020
Hes the right type of signing. Something that we've improved in 200% since Ole took over. Young guy, right mentality, strong technical ability. Hopefully we keep bringing in guys like Bruno and him that arent weak upstairs like a lot of the guys signed post SAF.
It's time to take it up a notch 🎚🔥#MUFC @Donny_Beek6 pic.twitter.com/qeVpil7Y3D— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 2, 2020
Confirmed he is taking 34 shirt for Appie https://www.manutd.com/en/news/deta...-number-revealed-after-transfer-from-afc-ajax Donny with number 𝟯𝟰 for Appie. ♥️#StayStrongAppie https://t.co/XJb4FYjZHO pic.twitter.com/WHPFP23FXP— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) September 2, 2020
Take care of him, @ManUtd! ♥️#DreamLikeDonny https://t.co/AwhwkiI2pQ— Edwin van der Sar (@vdsar1970) September 2, 2020
Oh for sure, he's totally the stereotype, even the way he talks. The only thing he misses is the height. Honestly Van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong and De Ligt are the three most Dutch mutha********as I've ever seen. Hope he has a great career with you guys!
Chuffed to have been remotely involved in this: Edwin Van der Sar’s open letter to United fans in today’s Manchester Evening News about Donny van de Beek @AFCAjax #mufc pic.twitter.com/9u3zenvLn7— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) September 3, 2020
Think this guy is going to be a success at United. He seems to be a very good fit, personality wise. I'm sure he's going to get along well with the guys and that's going to go a long way to settling.
Very! I think it will definitely be our 5th golden generation after the Cruijff/total football generation, the Van Basten-Rijkaard-Gullit-Koeman generation, the 90's generation with Bergkamp, Van Nistelrooy, Kluivert, Stam, Davids, Seedorf, VDS, De Boers, etc. and the previous Van Persie, Sneijder, Robben, VdV generation. What I think this generation has as advantage is that it's a really balanced team. There are potentially worldclass players in every position, a bit like the oranje team from the late 90's with Bergkamp, Stam, VDS, Kluivert, etc. The young players coming through are already excellent (De Ligt, De Jong, VdB, Bergwijn, etc.) but also other ones that will make the step to top clubs soon (Boadu, Ihattaren, Malen, Stengs, Kluivert) so that is already a very solid group. Whats especially exciting is that Ajax now has another generation coming through in the coming 3 years that is considered truly excellent and potentially as good as the generation with De Ligt, De Jong, VdB, Nouri, etc. If that team (Unuvar, Hansen, Timber, Gravenberch, Taylor, Rensch, etc.) breaks through in a similar fashion while the current group of young players are in their mid 20's we could have a pretty excellent team for the coming 10-15 years. Plus other famous Dutch youth players playing abroad like Zirkzee at Bayern, Xavi Simons at PSV, Reus at Barcelona, Deshawn Redan, etc. Also there is great leadership at the moment from the older players such as Van Dijk, Wijnaldum and De Vrij and then you have a few other mid-20 players like Depay and Ake so all in all there is a lot of potential! It's pretty amazing how bad our last generation was in comparison to the previous generations and the current/upcoming generation. It really was a missed generation for us! But to be honest I think this in potential could become the deepest field ever.
Also there is a pretty powerful interview on NOS with the family of Abdelhak (Appie) Nouri on the decision of Van de Beek to play with Nouri's number #34. (article posted below) For those of you who don't know the story too well, Nouri was considered the biggest talent from the now famous Ajax generation with De Ligt, De Jong, Van de Beek and Kluivert. He was probably the most hyped up Dutch youth player ever, at least in a time when there is so much attention for young talents. This all came to an abrupt end when he suffered extensive brain damage due to heart problems during a football game around 3 years ago at the age of 20. He now finds himself in a permanent state of comatose. Beyond being massively talented he was also a very friendly and humble person leading to him being a favorite for his teammates and fans as well as team captain for the Ajax and Oranje youth teams. He and Van de Beek particularly were best friends and had been at Ajax together since a very young age. Van de Beek and Nouri were pretty much inseparable which makes the situation so much more painful for Van de Beek. Probably the most emotional part of the interview with Nouri's family was this: 'Abderrahim, the eldest brother, explains that sensitivity. "Of course a lot of players have chosen to play with number 34, but with Donny that brings an extra layer. There is more to it. They have a special bond."' Hereby the article (translated from Dutch to English via Google Translate, so excuse any oddities): https://nos.nl/artikel/2346529-vade...de-om-te-vragen-of-hij-met-34-mag-spelen.html ------------------------------------- Father Nouri: 'Van de Beek called to ask if he can play with 34' It had been in the air for days, but on Wednesday the time had finally come. Ajax and Manchester United reached an agreement about the transfer of Donny van de Beek. The 23-year-old midfielder has signed a contract for five seasons. This transfer is not only very special for Van de Beek. Also for bosom friend Abdelhak Nouri. "Abdelhak responded happily. When he hears Donny's name or voice, his eyes widen and he immediately looks up," says father Mohammed, sitting next to Abdelhak. "He hears everything. You're on the loudspeaker. He knows exactly what you're saying and what it's about. We don't have to tell him that," he adds. Van de Beek informed the Nouri family as one of the first that the transfer had been completed. "He was also emotional, you could see that immediately. You can see it in his facial expression. But so are we. We are happy and emotional at the same time. Everything comes up. Donny and Abdelhak are close friends. It is real friendship," says Mohammed. From the youth Abdelhak Nouri and Donny van de Beek have been best friends since childhood. They went through the youth teams of Ajax together and experienced great successes. But it was not only with that good click on the field. The two also got along well off the field. Donny lived at home with the Nouri family. And still. Donny often visits Abdelhak and has daily contact with brother Mo. Abdelhak Nouri ANP Nouri points to his shirt number after his goal on his debut for Ajax PROSHOTS 2015: Van de Beek and Nouri celebrate a goal for Ajax under 19 PROSHOTS That Van de Beek will play on his back in Manchester with 34, the number with which Nouri made his debut at Ajax, is not very surprising. Yet that was not self-evident for the brand new purchase of United. "Donny called me", says father Mohammed. "He asked if I was okay with him playing with number 34. And I said he should. I can only be proud of that. It's a nice gesture, very special for us."
Very excited to be the newest edition of the #MUFC family. 🔴 Your enthusiastic responses to my announcement make me feel at home already! Can’t wait to join the team in Manchester. But first... focus on the Dutch Squad in preparation for the upcoming Nations League matches.🦁 pic.twitter.com/FIUAwed0FA— Donny van de Beek (@Donny_beek6) September 3, 2020 Rio's digging on van de Beek (how can you not tbh?). Also that letter from VdS is just pure class as well (still hold out hope that him becoming involved with United in an executive capacity will become reality at some point in the future).
FYI my dutch mate gets mad if pronounce it as “beak” - should apparently be “bake”. As follows Coming to Old Trafford soon... pic.twitter.com/4Ii4qUJHpL— utdreport (@utdreport) September 3, 2020
I was listening to the ESPN Gab and Jules podcast today, and apparently at some pointing VDB said his preferred/best position was the 6. Interesting.