On Saturday Goodison Park witnessed a man of the match display from Donny Van De Beek in his first start for Everton after his loan switch from Manchester United until the end of the season.
All season and perhaps last season too, Everton have been crying out for a midfield lynchpin who can control play, pivot with all those around him and be always on the move. In Van De Beek they have found that player, the only issue is that he is on loan with no option to buy.
Three Manchester United managers have overlooked Van De Beek while continuing to entrust Paul Pogba, Fred and Scott McTominay in the main with the central midfield duties.
Everton boss Frank Lampard certainly wanted the Dutch international and made it his number one task when he secured the job. On Saturday 37,000 Evertonians agreed with their new manager.
It had been that long since Van De Beek had played from the start, many couldn’t remember exactly how or where he played in midfield. The closest player I can think of in Premier League history is Cesc Fabregas. An all action player, but most of the build up play would always go through him and many times more than once in the same move.
Certainly on Saturday in the 3-0 win over Leeds Van De Beek pivoted with every Everton player bar the goalkeeper, he was everywhere in all action display. To be fair, you could tell he just enjoyed playing a full part in a match for the first time in quite a while.
At Ajax, Van De Beek was deployed as more of a Paul Scholes type of attacking midfielder. But, with the amount of possession and territorial advantage Ajax enjoyed it is not a surprise to see him withdrawn in a deeper role in the far more competitive Premier League.
In my review from the weekend I commentated that in terms of Everton, I hadn’t seen a player control the game in the centre of midfield since Mikel Arteta was at the club.
Back when David Moyes was first building his Everton squad he signed Arteta on loan from Glasgow Rangers. However, crucially he then got him permanently in the next transfer window.
The future of Van De Beek is intriguing as Manchester United clearly think he may still have something to offer.
But surely the player must realise the way he has been treated by them has been pretty disappointing. Ralf Rangnick is in interim charge until the summer so I guess they believe whoever the new manager is could well still want the Dutch international.
If Van De Beek continues to play the level of football at Everton we saw against Leeds, it would push his fee up. Manchester United paid £35million plus add on’s in the summer of 2020 and currently would be set to lose money on him if they were to sell.
Were United willing to do so, this would also alert many other clubs to the potential of having a dynamic midfielder still to reach his peak age. Van De Beek will also want to reignite his chances of getting back in the Netherlands squad for the World Cup later this year, and so first team football will be a must.
Clubs that no doubt would be interested include Arsenal, Tottenham and of course Everton in the Premier League. These teams cry out for a midfield technician who can control the game. Arguably you have to wonder why Manchester United aren’t playing him right now as they struggle to get Cristiano Ronaldo into the game.
On the continent many suitors would look at Van De Beek also. I don’t think he would return to Ajax yet but wouldn’t rule it out in the latter part of his career.
Certainly any of the top German clubs would take such a player as this is the type of midfielder they always want. With a change of the guard in Italy both Milan clubs and Napoli would certainly be interested as well.
There is one key personal situation that could help Everton. Van De Beek’s partner is due to give birth later this year and so staying in the North West could be in his thoughts. One factor though that would help Arsenal is that Van De Beek’s father in law and mentor is club legend Dennis Bergkamp.
For now Everton will just hope Van De Beek helps the club pull away from the relegation zone, and if he plays like he did against Leeds that shouldn’t be a problem. For the player, he just wants to enjoy football again. If Lampard and Everton provide that you never know how that could influence the situation in the summer.