Liverpool should sign Donny van de Beek from Man Utd
FT Desk
- Updated: 23 Aug 2022 02:48 CDT
- 3 min read
Liverpool need a new midfielder, Donny van de Beek needs a fresh start. A summer transfer from Manchester United to Anfield could suit all parties.
Much of the focus prior to Manchester United's 2-1 win over Liverpool on Monday was on Erik ten Hag benching Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire.
Those of a Liverpool persuasion might have paid particular attention to the fact that Naby Keita was posted missing, with injury cited as the reason why for the wantaway midfielder.
But Van de Beek joined Ronaldo and Maguire on the United bench, and his continued struggles at Old Trafford could throw up an opportunity for Liverpool.
Is Donny van de Beek in Erik ten Hag's plans? 🤔https://t.co/1oHG8FluFY
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 21, 2022
"Now we have more injuries than we would have imagined, and it would be cool to have another midfielder in, of course," Klopp said ahead of the United game.
"Then there is also another fact that I am not in charge of what we can spend. That's the situation."
Midfield minefield
Gini Wijnaldum's €30 million departure to PSG at the start of last season was less than ideal from a tactical perspective, and with Thiago, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita now injured, Klopp was forced to put 19-year-old Harvey Elliott in beside Jordan Henderson and James Milner on Monday.
With Fabinho very much an anchor man, 17-year-old Bobby Clark was Liverpool's only box-to-box midfielder spare. On the opposite bench was man crying out for a fresh start.
Van de Beek looked tidy when he replaced Christian Eriksen for the final four minutes, but this is a far cry from the player who earned a €47m move to Old Trafford in 2020.
Van de Beek won the Dutch domestic treble with Ajax, under Ten Hag, in 2019, and had racked up 41 goals and 34 assists in 175 games before he left. A 19-time Netherlands international, he has also never let his nation down.
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Ten Hag was reportedly "taken aback" at Van de Beek's low confidence when he arrived at Old Trafford, but he has thus far done nothing to build it back up.
Klopp is renowned as a manager who puts the fire inside his players rather than underneath them, and a move to Anfield could be the perfect antidote for Van de Beek's malaise.
Phil Chisnall was the last player to move directly between England's two most successful clubs back in 1964. But everyone could win if such a transfer was to happen again.
