After joining Manchester United on a five-year deal for a fee rising to £39m, Donny van de Beek has joined a prestigious list of players who have represented both clubs.
Jesper Olsen, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jaap Stam, Daley Blind, and of course, Edwin Van Der Sar have all played for both clubs and the Dutch 'keeper has backed Van de Beek to carry on his development at the Theatre of Dreams.
In a letter, Van Der Sar - who is now the CEO of Ajax - also urged his former side to take care of the midfielder.
‘Dear Manchester United fans, I hope you’re doing well. It seems our paths have crossed again. One of ours is joining you this season. And like so many players before him, he’s been with us since he was just a little boy. ‘Shortly after his debut, he became one of our best. Especially the last couple of years were amazing. From the Europa League final (no hard feelings) to our Champions League run and winning the Dutch championship.
‘The team he was part of showed the world who we are and what Ajax stand for. ‘Like you, we pride ourselves on being one of the best at developing talent and giving young players a shot at the highest level. You could say your new star is the embodiment of that pride. That’s one of the many reasons we don’t like to see him leave, but we understand it’s time for him to move on. To dream on. ‘And where better to do so than in your theatre. Trust me, I know. ‘Please take good care of Donny, and help him dream. ‘Enjoy the future.’
Dear @ManUtd,
Enjoy the Future. ♥️#DreamLikeDonny pic.twitter.com/QVKS3Q0Snk— Edwin van der Sar (@vdsar1970) September 3, 2020
Van de Beek helped Ajax reach the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals, scoring four goals along the way. He found the back of the net 41 times in all competitions over the last three seasons.
The 23-year-old will travel to Manchester after Holland's Nations League games against Poland and Italy.
Speaking about the move, Van de Beek said:
"I cannot begin to explain how incredible an opportunity it is to join a club with such an amazing history. I would like to thank everyone at Ajax, I grew up there and I will always have a special bond with the club. I am now ready to take the next step in my career and perform at the highest level and there is no higher standard than Manchester United.
"Everyone has told me how amazing the Old Trafford atmosphere is and I am looking forward to experiencing that, once it is safe for the fans to return.
"This team has some of the best midfielders in the world and I know that I can learn from them and also bring my own strengths to the group. Having spoken to the manager about his vision for this team, the direction that the club is going in is hugely exciting and I cannot wait to be a part of that."
The midfielder has chosen to wear the No 34 shirt as a tribute to his former Ajax team-mate, Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered brain damage after having a heart attack during a game in 2017.
