Inter Milan are reportedly considering the possibility of signing Manchester United star Donny van de Beek in a potential swap deal involving Christian Eriksen.
According to a report from Italian publication Tuttosport, as relayed by Le10 Sport, Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek has emerged as a transfer target for Italian giants Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri are weighing up the possibility of signing the Dutchman as part of a swap deal involving Christian Eriksen.
Donny van de Beek, a product of the Ajax youth academy, signed for Manchester United this past summer but has found it hard to establish himself as a regular in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting lineup. Of his 18 appearances in all competitions, only two are starts in the Premier League.
The 23-year-old’s decision to move to Old Trafford was criticised by former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal not so long ago. And now, Inter Milan are hoping to capitalise on his situation and work out a deal with the Red Devils that would see them sign the Dutchman in January, with Eriksen moving the other way.
Eriksen signed for Inter Milan from United’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in January earlier this year. However, the move has failed to work out as per plans for the Dane, as he has struggled to carve out a place for himself in Antonio Conte’s setup.
Having spent the majority of his time in Italy warming the benches, Eriksen is set to be on his way out next month, with Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta confirming the same earlier this week. “Eriksen is on the transfer list, Piero Ausilio confirmed as much. He has struggled to settle into the squad, he is not functional to the squad,” he said.
Eriksen’s situation has led to interest from a number of clubs across Europe, with Manchester United also touted to be among the clubs monitoring the 28-year-old. And Inter Milan want to use that to their advantage and engineer a swap deal that would see van de Beek move to Italy while Eriksen returns to England.
Inter Milan are said to be considering deals of similar nature involving Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka as well as Leandro Paredes of Paris Saint-Germain. But, the report claims that the Nerazzurri’s dream signing would be Manchester United ace, Donny van de Beek.
While it is true that van de Beek has had a difficult initiation at Manchester United, it is hard to imagine the Red Devils wanting to trade him for a player five years older than him who has been struggling for form for well over a year now.
On the flip side, Eriksen’s proven pedigree and experience in the Premier League could appeal to the Red Devils while he would also be a more natural backup for star playmaker Bruno Fernandes. However, the chances of any potential swap in January are very minimal.
