Everton staff had ‘serious reservations’ about Marcel Brands pursuing a deal for Manchester United midfielder Donny Van de Beek on deadline day.
That’s according to The Telegraph, who claims that Brands explored a potential move to bring Va ode Beek to Goodison Park in the final hours of the transfer window.
No formal approach was made, but Brands allegedly spoke to Van de Beek’s agent Guido Albers to gauge the interest in a move to Everton.
Yet with Brands was working on that, other staff members at Everton were sceptical of even trying to do a deal because of bad blood between Everton and United.
There were also fears that United wouldn’t subsidise the wages, with some seemingly feeling that Brands was possibly wasting his time even trying.
There have allegedly been tensions stretching back to United chasing Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini in 2013, and collapsed moves involving Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero haven’t helped.
Van de Beek didn’t get anywhere near to joining Everton on deadline day, and now has to sit in the shadows at United having failed to play a single minute in three Premier League games this season.
The 24-year-old, who earns £120,000-a-week at Old Trafford, endured a frustrating first season at United and really needs a big season to save his United career.
Maybe Everton can move for Van de Beek down the line, though some would fear that he is another Davy Klaassen in terms of a midfielder who excelled at Ajax but struggled in England.
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