Tottenham transfer news: Spurs tried to £40m Donny van de Beek to Man Utd deal | Football | Sport
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Tottenham reportedly attempted to hijack Manchester United‘s imminent £40million deal for Donny van de Beek as Jose Mourinho looked to thwart his former club, but saw their last-gasp offer fail with the player now Old Trafford bound.
That’s according to fresh reports which claim United have agreed personal terms over a five-year deal with an option for a sixth year for the Ajax attacking midfielder.
The Netherlands international is set to move to Old Trafford for £40m and will fly to England in the coming days for a medical and to put pen to paper on a move.
Yet Spurs boss Mourinho looked to try and usurp his old club at the eleventh hour by launching a late raid to try and bring Van de Beek to north London.
But the Dutchman is convinced that United are the right destination having held talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has sold his vision for the club to the player.
Van de Beek has also been tracked by the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid but United moved quickly to snap up the 22-year-old.
The Daily Mirror say that despite Spurs’ attempts to try and sign the midfielder, having already added Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to their midfield this summer in a £15m deal with Southampton, United chief negotiator Matt Judge has sealed an agreement on personal terms.
The Red Devils were alerted to Spurs’ ambitions to try and sign their transfer target but remain in pole position.
Van de Beek is said to have been convinced in discussions with Solskjaer that United are the right fit for him, while they also have Champions League football to offer.
Solskjaer steered his charges to a third-placed finish last term and sees Van de Beek as the next piece to take them further.
He will help make up an eye-catching midfield also featuring Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, and will become United’s first signing of the summer.
United had long been in negotiations with Borussia Dortmund over Jadon Sancho, who the Norwegian coach envisages taking up the right-sided role of his three-pronged attack.
But it is Van de Beek who will be the first fresh face through the doors at Carrington, having been convinced that United are on the right track under former striker Solskjaer.
United have made great progress towards a deal in recent days after Van de Beek was left out of a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag said: “There are indeed developments that keep him out of the selection.
“We will see what happens. We’ll make an announcement as soon as there’s some clarity.”
He added post-match: “The fact that Donny did not play does indicate a direction.
“The request not to let him play did not come specifically from one side. We do that together.
“Agreements have been made about a possible transfer, and if that possibility arises, you must also co-operate.”
United have been helped by the fact Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar spent spent six succesful years as a player at Old Trafford and undoubtedly retains a good relationship with the club.
The 13-time Premier League champions have tracked Van de Beek, who almost joined Real Madrid last summer after a £45m deal had been agreed, for over a year.
New Barca boss Ronald Koeman had been keen to challenge for his signature but the Catalan giants are distracted by Lionel Messi’s efforts to force his way out of the club, with Manchester City the favourites to sign the Argentine.
Van de Beek will further bolster a United attack that was on fire after the Premier League’s June restart, having managed 10 goals and 11 assists in 37 games last term.
It came after he mustered 17 goals and 13 assists in 57 games in 2018-19, when Van de Beek’s Eredivise employers reached the Champions League semi-finals and won a domestic double.
Spurs’ last-gasp may indicate that Mourinho has plans to add more new talent to his midfield after signing Hojbjerg.
The Londoners on Sunday confirmed that full-back Matt Doherty had joined from Wolves in a £15m deal, while it has also been claimed they are now in talks to sign Bournemouth’s versatile forward Josh King after the Cherries’ relegation to the Championship.
The 28-year-old Norwegian, a target for United back in January before they were priced out of a deal, could cost around £20m and scored six times in 26 Premier League games last season, but managed 12 in 35 top-flight games the year before that.
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