Pogba, Lingard, McTominay – Man Utd winners and losers from Van de Beek transfer

Donny van de Beek has added to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield options with his move to Manchester United.

The Dutch international has inked a long-term deal following his move from Ajax.

The 23-year-old arrives in the Premier League after being extensively monitored by United for almost two years, signing in a deal set to be worth £40million.

Other clubs too kept tabs on Van de Beek, with Real Madrid long seen as the best bet to land him this summer – only for coronavirus to enforce changes at the Bernabeu and bring an end to any potential deal.

Solskjaer and Van de Beek held talks last month via Zoom, to discuss how the Norwegian’s vision for his new charge at Old Trafford.

Ultimately, the United boss’ vision for Van de Beek – who received a glowing reference from Ajax CEO and ex-United ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar – persuaded him that Manchester was the right move as he looks to progress his career away from his homeland.

The question now for Solskjaer is how to best utilise the versatile schemer, who has thrived in a number of positions in Amsterdam.

Van de Beek has operated at the base of midfield during his time at Ajax but prefers to operate as an attacking midfielder, making late runs into the penalty area.

Now Solskjaer must decide how to best fit him into a lineup already blessed with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes.

He must also make decisions on those already in situ at the club – especially those in midfield vying for places.

For some, whether directly or indirectly, the arrival of Van de Beek offers a boost to their own prospects.

For others, much less so.

Paul Pogba – Winner

For too long, it seemed that Manchester United matches – especially those lost – were all about Paul Pogba.

In some quarters, it was often made out that the biggest reason for some defeats was the Frenchman; there was a spell where he wasn’t at his best and was scapegoated for the team’s struggles.

But pairing Pogba with better players, capable of taking responsibility and sharing the load enables him to thrive. It means he doesn’t have to play as a No.6, No.8 and No.10 all in one go.

The arrival of Bruno Fernandes rejuvenated the side, but especially Pogba, who returned to fitness and had someone in midfield with whom he clearly enjoyed working in tandem with.

Now, Van de Beek, another smart technician, who can play in tight areas and makes clever off-the-ball runs, should enhance Pogba further, allowing he and United’s midfield to play with greater authority.

Jesse Lingard – Loser

There was a time three or four years ago when Jesse Lingard was perhaps the best attacking footballer in the Premier League in terms of what he did off-the-ball.

He made blind side runs, created overloads out wide, sprang offside traps, drifted into areas where defenders don’t like to go and had the ability to apply a finishing touch to moves when found.

But Lingard has struggled for form in the past 18 months and has fallen down the pecking order in midfield.

Now with the arrival of Van de Beek, he is pushed further down, by a player who likes to operate in similar areas to Lingard, and who is an improved version of United’s No.14: the Dutchman is similarly excellent off-the-ball, but is sharper, savvier and technically more sound in possession too.

Marcus Rashford – Winner

The arrival of another central player rather than No.1 target Jadon Sancho means Rashford is still an automatic first choice out wide when fit.

But it additionally means that if Solskjaer is thinking of moving on occasion to a midfield diamond, then he can rotate in as a central striker more in partnership with first-choice No.9 Anthony Martial.

It is a formation Solskjaer has previously used and a role in which Rashford has shone. It enables him to stay higher up and operate more in the half spaces that he likes, starting inside opposing full-backs rather than on their outside shoulder.

Scott McTominay – Loser

In the 2018-19 season, Scott McTominay looked set to be a definitive fixture in Manchester United’s midfield in the future.

But an injury hit 2019-20 campaign has seen his progress stall and him fall down the midfield pecking order amid questions over exactly what type of midfielder he is: someone who sits and protects, or someone who is more pro-active, capable of going box-to-box?

Both Nemanja Matic and Fred are ahead of him where the anchorman role is concerned, while he finds himself behind Pogba, Fernandes and Van de Beek for the spots further forward.

He’s young and has time on his side, while his attitude is rated as first class by the club’s coaching staff; indeed, were offers to come in for both he and Fred, they’d likely be more inclined to part with the Brazilian given McTominay’s long-term potential.

But in the here and now, he has a battle on his hands to get back, and could find Premier League minutes limited in the opening months of the season.

Dan James – Loser

As the 2019-20 season progressed, the Welsh winger struggled for his best form, having initially made a fine impression after joining from Swansea.

James lost his first-team place to Mason Greenwood out wide and gradually fell down the pecking order; of his 2,291 Premier League minutes last term, only 116 of them came in the final nine post-lockdown games.

With the extra option in midfield, as well as Greenwood and Rashford’s desire to play in attack and then drift, rather than starting wide and tucking inside, there is less scope for an out-and-out wide man who tries to hit the byline.

Any kind of formation change which sees Solskjaer move away from 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 to operate with Fernandes, Van de Beek, Pogba and a holding midfielder as a midfield quartet and losing wide men, will further push James down the pecking order.

Will Donny van de Beek shine for Manchester United? Have your say in the comments

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