Spurs Opinion: Lilywhites should sign Donny van de Beek as a replacement for Eriksen
According to the Metro, Spurs are set to battle it out with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for the signing of £45 million-rated Ajax playmaker Donny van de Beek this summer.
The Lilywhites are under pressure to dip into the transfer window in a bid to replace influential playmaker Christian Eriksen this summer. The Danish creative ace is set to enter the last 12 months of his contract at the end of the season, with Real Madrid reportedly in a pole position to sign the 27-year-old. (h/t Metro)
Spurs might be forced to accept an offer from another club and cash in on Eriksen this summer, as they face the risk of losing him for absolutely nothing in a year’s time.
The Metro also understands that Mauricio Pochettino is planning to adopt a different approach in the summer, having failed to sign a single new player over the last two transfer windows.
The Argentinian’s transfer budget for the next season would depend on whether or not Spurs manage to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League, with the Lilywhites currently under pressure to hold on to their fourth spot following their 1-0 defeat away at Bournemouth last week.
Spurs face Everton at home in their final game of the season and they would need at least a draw to secure Champions League football next season.
Along with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Dusan Tadic, David Neres, Hakim Ziyech and others, Van de Beek has been one of the architects of Ajax’s fairy-tale run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League this season.
The 22-year-old Dutch international has contributed with 11 goals and 15 assists for Erik Ten Hag’s side in all competitions this season and hit red-hot form has put him on the radar of some of the top clubs in Europe.
Most recently, Van de Beek scored the winner in Ajax’s 1-0 victory over Spurs in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, giving the Dutch giants a clear edge heading into the second leg at White Hart Lane.
To put things into perspective, Donny van de Beek looks like a real talent and Spurs have every reason to look at him as the long-term successor to the throne of Eriksen. Spurs signed Eriksen from Ajax back in 2013 as a 22-year-old and van de Beek is also at a similar stage in his career, so it definitely makes sense for the Lilywhites to line him up as their next poster boy.
Noted for his technical brilliance and high levels of tactical awareness, the 22-year-old Dutchman has excelled in a multitude of positions at Ajax this season. Much like the role that Eriksen has played at Spurs, van de Beek has also been rotated between No.8 and No.10 roles in the midfield, and he has proven that he is equally adept at playing both roles in the midfield.
While he is essentially a central midfielder or a withdrawn playmaker by trade, the Dutchman has also proven his worth as a central attacking midfielder by operating in the hole behind the striker.
It is not just his remarkable vision and an incredible eye for goal that makes him a player in the same mould as Eriksen, but he has also showcased high levels of footballing intelligence at a young age, which is reminiscent of the Dane in his earlier days at Ajax.
Van de Beek is a fluent passer of the ball and his speed of thought allows him to set his team on the front foot with some decisive passes. To add to that, he is also a hard worker off the ball and covers a lot of ground, which should make him a perfect fit for Pochettino’s style of play.
The Dutchman would add that cutting edge to Spurs’ attack with his desire to get on the ball and make well-timed runs into the box to score goals. Furthermore, he is a wonderful reader of the game and his tactical intelligence should be a great asset to any team in the world.
Christian Eriksen has been Pochettino’s go-to man over the past four or five seasons and his departure would leave a massive void in the heart of Spurs’ attack. They would need to sign an immediate replacement and Donny van de Beek should be the ideal man to take over the reins from the Dane.
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Spurs have enjoyed a healthy working relationship with Ajax in the transfer window in recent times, with the likes of Jan Vertonghen, Eriksen and Davinson Sanchez all arriving from the Dutch capital in the last few years. Hence, they have every reason to be hopeful that their relationship with Ajax might give them the upper hand in this deal.
