Ajax’s Eredivisie star Donny van der Beek shares similarities with Manchester United legend Scholes and is reportedly a Spurs transfer target.
Central midfielders with the innate ability to time those runs into the box to perfection are few and far between. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes remain revered in English football for their ability to sniff out a chance and convert it with dead-eyed accuracy but there aren’t many cut from the same cloth.
So no wonder Donny Van der Beek is attracting so much interest right now.
According to Calciomercato, the promising Ajax midfielder is a target for both Chelsea and Barcelona – though long-running suitors Tottenham Hotspur are currently in pole position to sign the £35 million-rated Dutchman in 2019.
But what can Tottenham fans expect from Van der Beek? Well, comparisons with Scholes speak volumes.
Van der Beek may have a long way to go to live up to the standards set by Manchester United’s legendary number 18 but the similarities are unavoidable.
Not only does the 21-year-old boast an impressive passing range that belies his age, he already appears to have honed that all-too rare ability to make perfectly timed runs into the penalty area – something which Scholes made his trademark.
The five-time international scored 13 goals in all competitions last season and has four so far this. And though he failed to net in the recent 1-1 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga champions simply couldn’t deal with Van der Beek’s movement on occasions.
So if Tottenham win the race, Van der Beek could add a different dimension to a Tottenham midfield high on physicality but short on goals.
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