Donny van de Beek can SAVE his career with Man Utd swap deal

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 25 Mar 2024 13:57 GMT
• 4 min read

Donny van de Beek’s Manchester United career is not yet over, but it will be soon.

The former Netherlands international has played just 62 times for the Red Devils since his €39 million transfer from Ajax in 2020 and only 12 of those appearances have come in the past two seasons.

Erik ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford was seen as the perfect opportunity for Van de Beek to turn his Man Utd career around, however things have gone even worse under his former Ajax boss.

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The 26-year-old is currently on loan at Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt after moving to Germany in January, but he has made just four league starts for the club and has been an unused substitute in four of the past eight matches.

Van de Beek faces an uphill battle to save his top level career and will need to find the right club for him this summer, when he is expected to finally leave Old Trafford on a permanent transfer.

A move back to the Eredivisie makes the most logical sense and is certainly the safest bet for the ex-Ajax midfielder. With that in mind, a move to Feyenoord could be perfect, especially as it could prompt Man Utd into a fantastic swap deal opportunity.

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Donny van de Beek to Feyenoord?

Feyenoord’s current midfield pairing of Mats Wieffer and Quinten Timber is arguably the best in the Dutch top flight, however both players are being monitored ahead of the summer window.

Timber, brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien, has been linked with a move to the Gunners, but data analytics experts SciSports believe that joining Man Utd is a better option for the Feyenoord midfielder.

In fact, signing for the Red Devils is deemed to be Timber’s best option this summer. Man Utd rank as his most well-suited club according to SciSports’ Career Advice tool, and given Ten Hag’s preference towards Eredivisie signings, a pursuit of Timber makes sense.

Amadou Onana and Joao Neves have both been heavily linked with an Old Trafford switch, but pursuing Timber could be ideal for Man Utd and may enable them to finally offload Van de Beek.

If Timber joins Man Utd, Feyenoord will need a replacement and Van de Beek would be an excellent option.

He is clearly not the player that left Ajax in 2020, but regular football could help him climb back up towards those levels and consistent minutes in the Eredivisie is something Feyenoord would be able to provide.

As per SciSports, a move to PSV Eindhoven makes more sense for Van de Beek, but that is due to the fact his pathway to regular minutes at Feyenoord is currently blocked. However, if Timber leaves it will free up space for Van de Beek, meaning a swap deal makes perfect sense for all parties.