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It has not been an easy couple of seasons for Donny van de Beek at Manchester United.
The Dutchman must have thought his luck had turned when Erik ten Hag walked through the door last summer, but his poor season – curtailed by injury – has only reinforced the feeling that he must leave Old Trafford to revitalise his career.
Now, it seems, he has an escape route, with La Liga outfit Real Sociedad keen to sign him during the current transfer window.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Sociedad are locked in negotiations with Man United over a loan deal with an option to buy clause.
And things could progress rather quickly, with Romano claiming that the deal will be “make or break” over the next seven to ten days.
The points of contention to be ironed out between the clubs will likely come down to Sociedad’s contribution towards Van de Beek’s £140,000-a-week salary and the value of the option to buy clause.
Should the two meet an accord over these particulars, it is expected that the midfielder will jump at the chance to make the switch.
The player is keen to trade environments, particularly with the Euros around the corner.
Van de Beek missed the Qatar World Cup due to a lack of playing time and will not want a repeat of that disappointment next summer.
A move to Spain could be exactly what he needs, having seen his promising career stall since making the move over from Ajax in 2020.
He has made 60 appearances in all competitions over the course of three seasons, scoring twice and assisting the same. While a good portion of his gametime came off the bench, that is a shocking return for a player who was once rated among the best young goalscoring midfielders in Europe.
At 26 years of age there is plenty of time for Donny van de Beek to recapture his best form and Real Sociedad could very well be the place to do it.
