Declan Walsh

Sun 30 January 2022 7:10, UK

Everton have agreed a deal with Manchester United to sign midfielder Donny van de Beek on loan for the rest of the season, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Writing via his personal Twitter account in the early hours of Sunday morning [30 January], the Guardian journalist reported that the Blues have agreed to pay 100 per cent of van de Beek’s wages for the duration of his loan spell. De Telegraaf reported in September 2020 that the midfielder will be earning £108,000-a-week at Man United.

It is understood that “in the next hours”, the 24-year-old Netherlands international will decide on whether he wants to join Everton or Crystal Palace.

On a knife-edge

Everton will be anxiously waiting to hear whether van de Beek chooses to play for them or for Crystal Palace.

If you were a complete neutral, like van de Beek is, you would imagine that Everton would be the preferred choice.

While there is a lot of hostility at Goodison Park due to the way the club is being run by Farhad Moshiri, a move to Everton would mean that van de Beek might not need to relocate.

It could also help for him to play for a big name club like the Toffees, even though we’re below Palace in the Premier League table.

He’d be a great signing for both clubs but we just feel as though we should have the cutting edge in this late January battle for his signature.

Frank Lampard looks set to be named as our new manager very soon and we imagine that he has okayed a move to sign van de Beek.

Everton’s central midfield options are very light and the ex-Ajax star is someone who hasn’t been given a fair shot at Old Trafford by two different managers now.

Either they are seeing something in him in training that they don’t like or they are simply overlooking a very good option because of other players in their squad.

But Everton should be wrapping up a good signing here unless Palace is his choice.

In other Everton news, a last-ditch move is on the cards for this former Premier League central midfielder.