Manchester United are at last ready to seal their highly anticipated move for Dutch defender Daley Blind, with just three days to go before the summer transfer window draws to a close.
Since the arrival of Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, the Red Devils have been the front-runners to sign the Netherlands international star, who played under Van Gaal in this summer’s World Cup tournament in Brazil.
Blind, 24, has agreed personal terms with the Manchester club along with a fee reported to be in the region of £14m.
The deal has been expected to materialise since the end of the World Cup in July however the player’s current club, Dutch Erdivisie side Ajax, were reluctant to let him leave unless their valuation (£14m) would be met.
With United having spent a whopping £130m already this summer on ex-Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera and Argentine aces Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojos, they were keen to strike a lean deal for the Dutchman, but have ended up agreeing to Ajax’s full asking price.
Blind is a versatile defensive-minded player who can play in left-back, centre-back and defensive midfield. He will add options to Van Gaal’s side, who have not got off to a favourable start in their 2014/2015 league runs.
United lost their debut Premier League match at home to Swansea (2-1), which followed a 1-1 draw away to Sunderland, and then the Red Devils suffered a humiliating 4-0 thrashing at the hands of League One side MK Dons (4-0) in the League Cup competition on Tuesday.