Manchester United have bolstered their midfield ahead of the 2020-21 campaign with the eye-catching signing of Ajax’s Netherlands international Donny van de Beek.
Van de Beek has arrived at Old Trafford having signed a five-year deal, with United paying Ajax an initial £35million plus £5million in add-ons.
We’ve compared the 23-year-old’s 2019-20 Eredivisie stats to the corresponding Premier League stats of United’s current central midfield options.
Goals
Donny van de Beek – 8
Bruno Fernandes – 8
Scott McTominay – 4
Paul Pogba – 1
Andreas Pereira – 1
Nemanja Matic – 0
Fred – 0
Assists
Bruno Fernandes – 7
Donny van de Beek – 5
Paul Pogba – 3
Andreas Pereira – 3
Nemanja Matic – 2
Scott McTominay – 1
Fred – 0
Minutes per goal or assist
Bruno Fernandes – 81.5
Donny van de Beek – 147.4
Paul Pogba – 301.3
Scott McTominay – 354.4
Andreas Pereira – 372.5
Nemanja Matic – 806.5
Fred – N/A
READ: Eight quotes on Donny van de Beek: Loved by both Bergkamp and Cruyff
Chances created per 90 minutes
Bruno Fernandes – 2.3
Paul Pogba – 2.2
Donny van de Beek – 1.9
Andreas Pereira – 1.9
Fred – 1.5
Nemanja Matic – 0.9
Scott McTominay – 0.8
Successful dribbles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Paul Pogba – 2.0 (71.4%)
Fred – 1.7 (77.3%)
Nemanja Matic – 1.1 (78.6%)
Bruno Fernandes – 1.1 (68.75%)
Andreas Pereira – 1.1 (57.9%)
Donny van de Beek – 1.0 (62.5%)
Passing accuracy
Fred – 87.5%
Nemanja Matic – 87%
Paul Pogba – 85.5%
Donny van de Beek – 82.2%
Scott McTominay – 80.9%
Andreas Pereira – 78.3%
Bruno Fernandes – 75.7%
READ: The seven Man Utd kids Fergie tipped for stardom in 2001 & how they fared
Successful tackles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Nemanja Matic – 2.6 (66.7%)
Fred – 2.5 (44.6%)
Donny van de Beek – 2.2 (75.9%)
Scott McTominay – 2.2 (75.9%)
Bruno Fernandes – 1.7 (41.5%)
Andreas Pereira – 1.5 (45.5%)
Paul Pogba – 1.5 (71.4%)
Interceptions per 90 minutes
Fred – 1.6
Scott McTominay – 1.6
Nemanja Matic – 1.3
Donny van de Beek – 0.8
Bruno Fernandes – 0.8
Paul Pogba – 0.5
Andres Pereira – 0.4
Manchester United finished third last season, and if you’re confident Van de Beek will make a big impact at Old Trafford, BetOnline are offering 12/1 for Red Devils to win the Premier League outright or 27/20 to finish top with Liverpool and Manchester City excluded.
More Manchester United
Gary Neville: If someone said Scholes would be a footballer I’d say ‘How?’
Eight quotes on Donny van de Beek: Loved by both Bergkamp and Cruyff
The seven Man Utd kids Fergie tipped for stardom in 2001 & how they fared
Can you name the last four players to wear numbers 1-11 at Man Utd?