Everton director of football Marcel Brands has admitted his club were interested in a transfer deal for Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek in the summer.
Brands also wouldn’t rule out trying again for Van de Beek in January, suggesting it all really depended on Man Utd’s stance on the player, which suggests Everton are still keen on the Netherlands international.
Van de Beek looked a hugely promising talent during his Ajax days, but he’s been rather unfairly left on the sidelines at Old Trafford, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rarely giving him a chance to show what he can do.
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It could be a good move for the 24-year-old to move to Everton, who would surely be able to offer him more regular first-team football.
The Toffees have made a strong start to the season under Rafael Benitez, and a signing like Van de Beek coming in in January could be another good move to help them in the second half of the campaign.
“We had him on our list. At the beginning of the transfer window, we made an enquiry to United, then it was impossible,” Brands told Dutch broadcaster NOS, as translated by the Daily Mail.
“At the end of the window, I received a call from Guido Albers, his agent, that he might be loaned out after all. But at the last minute it was cancelled. Stopped again.”
Asked if Everton could try again for Van de Beek in January, Brands responded: “You always depend on whether a club wants to cooperate. And it is early October, so much can still happen with injuries. United are playing on various fronts, it’s hard to say now.”