Daley Blind has completed his transfer to Manchester United, where he will link up with former Holland coach Louis van Gaal.
The Dutch international was an integral part of the national side which finished third at the World Cup Finals under van Gaal in the summer, playing in all seven matches and scoring one goal. When the Oranje boss was confirmed as United boss, the versatile 24-year-old was almost immediately linked with a move to the club.
It emerged last Friday that the Reds interest in Blind was genuine, and an offer of £13.8million was accepted by Ajax for his signature. Having now passed a medical and agreed personal terms, the player has completed his move to Old Trafford, and could debut against Queens Park Rangers on 14 September.
Blind is sure to be a useful option for van Gaal, due to his ability to play in a number of different roles. He is usually a left fullback or a left-sided central defender, but he can also operate as a deep-lying midfielder. This is a position in which United have struggled in recent times, so it may be where he is given chance to impress.
Having progressed through the youth ranks at the Amsterdam outfit, Blind went on to make 102 league appearances, including three this season. He has helped them win four successive Eredivisie titles from 2011 to 2014, and last term was voted Dutch Footballer of the Year. At international level, he has 19 caps for his country, having made his debut in a friendly clash against Italy in August 2013.
He becomes United’s latest notable addition to their squad, following Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, and club record £59.6million Angel di Maria. Radamel Falcao, the Colombian international striker, is also expected to completed a season-long loan deal from French club Monaco before the 11pm Monday deadline.
United fans, what do you make of the Blind signing? And do you think van Gaal has added enough quality for you to finish in the top-four this season? Let us know what you think by joining in the discussion below!
