Reports: Manchester United to prioritise Donny van de Beek over Jack Grealish this summer
Manchester United will prioritise the signing of Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek over Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, according to the Sportsmole. The report suggests that Aston Villa value the midfielder above £60 million, a fee too high for the Red Devils this summer.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper and now CEO of the Amsterdam club Edwin van der Sar said earlier in the summer that the Ajax star could leave the club in the transfer window.
"It’s clear that clubs like Real Madrid and United are showing interest in Donny van de Beek". The Premier League club might be in pole position to sign the midfielder with Real Madrid unlikely to spend heavily on incoming transfers this season."
Manchester United might prefer Donny van de Beek due to Grealish fee
Jack Grealish performed admirably for Aston Villa as he kept his boyhood club in the Premier League, but a dream move might be halted due to the club's asking price for their captain. Villa are reportedly interested in extending his contract, with the Premier League set to begin in September.
Donny van de Beek was an integral part of the Ajax side which turned heads in their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in the 2018-19 season. The 23-year-old reportedly has an agreement with the Dutch giants which will allow him to leave this summer if a substantial bid is placed for him.
Erik ten Hag, the Ajax manager, confirmed the same earlier in the summer.
“The transfer market will start in August – the top leagues are now being played out, so the money flows are maintained"
The Dutch international has had another impressive season in the Eredivisie, scoring ten goals and creating 11 assists. A box-to-box midfielder, he can prove to be an excellent backup for Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.
Jadon Sancho remains Manchester United's priority this summer, with a defender and a midfielder also on the list. However, it is unclear whether manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the budget to spend on two or three high-profile signings due to the financial constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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