Robin van Persie warns Donny van de Beek of the mental challenge ahead of him joining a ‘beast of a club’ in Manchester United.
The Dutchman looks set to move to Old Trafford in a £40million deal after completing a medical at United.
Van de Beek has established himself as one of the top young talents in the Eredivisie, helping fire Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 and continuing his excellent form last campaign.
The 23-year-old will have plenty of competition in United’s midfield with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba both excelling for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side of late.
Former Red Devils striker Van Persie – who made the switch from Feyenoord to Arsenal as a 20-year-old – forewarns Van de Beek that joining a dressing room full of mega-money stars will take some adjusting to.
‘Donny van de Beek is 23 years old and that is a nice age to make a transfer to the Premier League,’ Van Persie wrote in his column for De Telegraaf.
‘I was a bit younger when I went to Arsenal, and in the locker room, I was considered a player for the future. Winning the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord meant nothing. The Premier League is a completely different world.
‘Donny will be brought in as a major purchase from Manchester United, but he will discover that those other 22 players have also been brought in as a ‘major purchase’. One had an even bigger transfer than the other.
‘It means that he has to stand there right away and he has to mentally adjust to that. Because Manchester United is in every way a beast of a club.’
‘Physically I don’t foresee any problems for Donny. His walking actions are his biggest weapon,’ the Dutchman added
‘He is also able to play sixty games a year. Easy games just aren’t there anymore. Especially against Fulham or Crystal Palace, you have to play the most. At every duel, even at every throw, those opponents pound on you.
‘He has the advantage that he has gained a lot of experience in the last two seasons in Europe.
‘The year in which Ajax reached the semi-finals of the Champions League was his big breakthrough.’
