Manchester United's UCL rivals want to sign Red Devils outcast Donny van de Beek in January - Reports
Galatasaray reportedly want to sign Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek in the January transfer window.
According to Turkish outlet Sporx (h/t @UtdDistrict on X), Manchester United and Galatasaray will discuss a potential move in their upcoming match. The two teams will face each other in a UEFA Champions League group-stage match at RAMS Park on Wednesday (29 November).
Van de Beek was signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from Ajax in the summer of 2020 for a fee of €39 million. He came on the back of several impressive seasons with the Dutch club and notably helped them reach the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
However, the Dutch midfielder's time at Old Trafford has been nothing short of a disappointment for all concerned parties. He has started just 11 times in the Premier League since then and has played just two minutes in the competition this season.
It is evident that Erik ten Hag does not favor the 26-year-old central midfielder. His contract at Old Trafford expires in the summer of 2025 and it seems unlikely that the club would want to extend it beyond that.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, have signed several fringe Premier League players in recent years, with Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez being two such examples. Van de Beek could be the latest addition to the list if the two teams have favorable talks in the coming weeks.
Where do Manchester United stand in the UCL table?
Manchester United's primary focus in the match against Galatasaray will nevertheless be on securing all three points.
Erik ten Hag's men find themselves at the bottom of Group A after four matches. They lost to Bayern Munich in Germany (4-3) and Galatasaray at Old Trafford (2-3) before eking out a 1-0 home win against Copenhagen.
The Danes nevertheless exacted revenge in the return leg, winning all three points at the Parken courtesy of a 4-3 scoreline. Bayern are the runaway leaders at this point, with 12 points from four matches.
They will finish at the top of the group regardless of what happens in the remaining two matches. Both Gala and Copenhagen have four points apiece while the Red Devils sit in fourth with three.