Transfer predictor: Donny van de Beek to Real Madrid rumour gets a 6

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  • Struggling to pick out the facts from the figures? Reality from the rubbish? Sense from the silly season? We’ve got you sorted in our daily dose of the Transfer Predictor, where we round up the latest rumours with an analytical spin.

    We sort through the most eye-catching transfer reports of the past 24 hours and give a balanced judgment on whether the move really will happenand why.

    Today’s edition features potential signings for Real Madrid, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.

    MOUSSA DEMBELE

    MoussaDembeleLyon (1)

    RUMOUR: Lyon -> €50m -> Manchester United

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to enhance his attacking options by making a move for Lyon’s Moussa Dembele, according to L’Equipe.

    WHY IT WILL HAPPEN: Young? Tick. Scores goals? Tick. Proven in the UK? Well, kind of. Dembele has had a productive season since leaving perennial Scottish champions, Celtic, for Lyon last summer. The 22-year-old has provided 13 goals and four assists from just 19 starts while leading the line in Ligue 1, having filled the void that Real Madrid flop Mariano Diaz had left.

    Solskjaer is on the lookout for young and hungry players, while the Old Trafford board does not want an Alexis Sanchez repeat. Romelu Lukaku may be on his way out and though Marcus Rashford is extremely promising, he is simply not a consistent goalscorer at this time.

    WHY IT WON’T HAPPEN: Firstly, United won’t be able to make a move if they don’t shift Lukaku and/or Sanchez from their books, and astronomical wages plus poor performances is not a good equation for a sale.

    Even if that does happen, Solskjaer reportedly wants to prioritise investing in British produce, and particularly those who have their hearts in the right place. Rashford still must smooth his rough edges but he certainly qualifies, while 17-year-old Mason Greenwood is seen as a generational talent. Is Dembele really that good enough to be worth potentially hindering the progress of both?

    TRANSFER PREDICTOR: 5/10

    DONNY VAN DE BEEK

    RUMOUR: Ajax ->  €60m -> Real Madrid

    Real Madrid will join Barcelona in raiding Ajax this summer and purchase Champions League darling Donny van de Beek, according to Marca.

    WHY IT WILL HAPPEN: Initially it was all about De Jong and De Ligt, but finally the third Musketeer is getting some attention. Van De Beek has been sensational in the UCL knockout stages. The Netherlands starlet has been playing as No.10 – and often is the furthest forward – in Europe, but it’s easy to envisage him providing some thrust from midfield as relief for Luka Modric’s aging legs at Santiago Bernabeu.

    His vision and penchant for finding pockets of space make him an alluring prospect for a team like Madrid, who are undergoing a major overhaul and may not have the patience nor wherewithal to deal with Man United and Tottenham for either Paul Pogba or Christian Eriksen.



    WHY IT WON’T HAPPEN: We’ve been here before. As the break-up of Monaco showed following their storming run to the UCL semis two seasons ago, for every Kylian Mbappe there is a Thomas Lemar, and likewise Bernardo Silva compared to Tiemoue Bakayoko.

    Lemar and Bakayoko are not to be written off – but Madrid are, as always, in win-now mode and it’s fair for them to ponder whether Van De Beek is the beneficiary of a super-slick Ajax side. The 22-year-old can pick a pass, but he also likes to pick out the opposite team – see the second half versus Tottenham last week. A good player? Absolutely. However up against Eriksen, who has done in week-in, week-out for Spurs for years, he is no home run hitter.

    TRANSFER PREDICTOR: 6/10

    JULIAN BRANDT

    JulianBrandtLeverkusen (1)

    RUMOUR: Bayer Leverkusen ->  €25m -> Borussia Dortmund

    Borussia Dortmund plan to swoop for Julian Brandt when the Germany star’s €25m release clause comes into play in the summer, according to Bild.

    WHY IT WILL HAPPEN: The situation is almost too good to be true for Dortmund. Having already lost Christian Pulisic and already sensing the vultures circle for Jadon Sancho, in Brandt they could buy a ready-made German talent who can play anywhere in attack or drop back to midfield.

    Bayern Munich usually cherry pick the very best Germany has to offer, but the report also says that they are unlikely to pursue him – which seemingly gives Dortmund a clear run.

    WHY IT WON’T HAPPEN: If anything, Brandt has been too good in recent weeks. That €25m clause, if true, is outrageously cheap and the 23-year-old has set about racking up the assists from central midfield, a position many of Europe’s top clubs are targeting this summer. As Dortmund play a two-man midfield, he’d be assigned defensive duties if played there – definitely not his strongest suit.

    There is also a possibility that Brandt will stay at Leverkusen if they qualify for the Champions League, though they need to make up a three-point gap with three games left to play.

    TRANSFER PREDICTOR: 8/10

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