Crystal Palace want Donny van de Beek on loan

Crystal Palace officially submitted an offer Tuesday night to sign Donny van de Beek on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season.

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Eagles are directly negotiating with United about a deal to bring the 24-year-old midfielder to Selhurst Park. The deal would not include an option to buy the player, as United wants to wait for the future manager to determine players’ futures in the summer. Palace would also have to cover van de Beek’s full wages until June.

Other clubs, such as Valencia and Newcastle United, have inquired about luring the former Ajax star away from Old Trafford on loan during the January transfer window. Romano reported that the Dutchman will choose which club he prefers to sign for on a straight loan deal in the coming hours or days.

The report states that Palace manager and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is responsible for the Eagles’ interest in van de Beek. Crystal Palace sits in 13th place in the Premier League table, and adding van de Beek’s creativity alongside the likes of star loan signing Conor Gallagher in midfield would likely improve the club’s chances of remaining in the top flight next season.

Not to mention, the signing would benefit van de Beek’s chances of regaining his place in the Dutch national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December. The Netherlands’ manager Louis van Gaal told the midfielder he needs to frequently start for his club in order to make the national team, so game time at Palace could be what he needs to prove his worth to van Gaal.

The out-of-favor center midfielder, who signed for United for £34.6 million from Ajax in September 2020, has only made 14 appearances in all competitions this season and recorded one goal. Van de Beek hasn’t started a Premier League match this season, and he has only come off the bench three times for a total of seven minutes of league play under interim manager Ralf Rangnick.

A successful loan spell could also help van de Beek’s chances of securing an improved role in United’s first team under a new manager next season. Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who is heavily linked to the United job, called the midfielder’s lack of opportunity and playing time at United a “mortal sin” in an interview for de Volkskrant, adding that “If you haven’t had a chance yet, then development will also stall.”

Should the midfielder’s former manager get the job in the summer, ten Hag could be the manager to get van de Beek’s back on track at United.

If PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has praised van de Beek in the past, receives the position, an impressive loan spell could also improve the Dutchman’s chances of earning regular game time under the former Tottenham Hotspur gaffer.

Van de Beek would be the fourth United player to leave on loan this winter to gain more playing time if he chooses to join another club. Anthony Martial most recently completed a move to Sevilla on Tuesday. Axel Tuanzebe and Teden Mengi left at the beginning of the window to join Napoli and Birmingham City, respectively.