Manchester United sign Netherlands’ Daley Blind from Ajax
Manchester United continued their overhaul of an under-performing squad by agreeing a 17.5 million Euros ($23 million) fee with Ajax Amsterdam for versatile Dutch international Daley Blind on Saturday.
“Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Ajax to sign Daley Blind, subject to a medical and personal terms,” United said in a statement on Saturday.
“A further announcement will be made when the process is complete.”
The 24-year-old Dutch international, who is expected to sign a four-year contract at United, was left out of the Ajax squad to play Groningen so he could negotiate with United.
Blind, whose father Danny also played at Ajax and is the assistant coach of the Dutch national side, can play at left back or as a defensive midfielder and is a product of the famed Ajax academy.
He made his first team debut in 2008 aged 18 and played almost 150 matches for the club, winning four successive league titles from 2011 onwards.
A move to United will reunite him with international captain Robin van Persie and head coach Louis van Gaal, who was in charge of the Dutch team that finished third in the World Cup in Brazil last month.
The Dutch coach has had a difficult start to his reign at Old Trafford since stepping down from the national team, taking only one point from their first two league games.
Things hit a massive low after the much-changed side suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at the hands of third tier MK Dons in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday.
United’s struggles have come with their difficulties in adapting from their usual four at the back tactic to Van Gaal’s preferred three man central defence.
In a bid to rectify the problems, the 20-times English champions have looked for new recruits and splashed out a British-record 59.7 million pounds ($99 million) to sign midfielder Angel Di Maria from Spanish side Real Madrid this week.
The Argentine is expected to make his debut later on Saturday when United make the short trip to Burnley for their Premier League clash.
Di Maria’s international team mate Marcos Rojo will miss the match as the defender still awaits a work permit.