Donny van de Beek transfer latest as Man Utd midfielder takes step closer to move

Donny van de Beek has taken a step closer to completing his loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Manchester United midfielder is in Germany this morning (Tuesday) and is undergoing a medical ahead of a short-term switch to the Bundesliga side. Van de Beek is expected to finalise a loan move to Frankfurt until the end of the season, when the January transfer window opens.

Nothing will be formally agreed before that point, but an option to buy for a fee of up to £12.5m is expected to be included in the deal. That’s a significant loss on the £35m United paid for Van de Beek in 2020, but the Red Devils will be delighted to move on a player who has failed to make a lasting impression in three and a half years at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag admitted earlier this month that Van de Beek ‘has to play for his career’. The 26-year-old has made just 62 appearances for United, with only 23 starts in that time.

Assuming the Frankfurt move is completed, it will be the second January loan of Van de Beek’s United career and he previously spent the second half of the 2021/22 season at Everton. The ex-Ajax man returned to Old Trafford that summer to play under Ten Hag, who he worked with in Amsterdam.

But injury and poor form prevented Van de Beek starting in any of Ten Hag’s opening 14 league matches at United, before a serious knee injury ended his campaign in January. The central midfielder recovered in time to play a role in pre-season, but has played just 21 competitive minutes this term.

Van de Beek has also fallen behind youth-team graduates Hannibal and Kobbie Mainoo, and he was omitted from United’s Champions League squad in September.