Man Utd’s Van De Beek Honours Ex-Ajax Teammate With Shirt Number

In this file photo taken on November 5, 2019 Ajax’s Dutch midfielder Donny Van de Beek celebrates after scoring their fourth goal during the UEFA Champion’s League Group H football match between Chelsea and Ajax at Stamford Bridge in London. GLYN KIRK / AFP

 

Manchester United’s new signing Donny van de Beek has revealed he will wear shirt number 34 in honour of former Ajax team-mate Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered brain damage after an on-pitch heart attack.

United on Wednesday announced they had completed a deal for the Netherlands international worth a reported initial 39 million euros ($46 million).

Nouri, now 23, suffered brain damage while playing for Ajax in a pre-season game in Austria in 2017.

Van De Beek, also 23, explained why he had chosen shirt number 34 in an interview on United’s official website.

“This is a special thing for me because my good friend Abdelhak Nouri… maybe you know the story, he had a heart attack and he’s a good friend of mine.

“I’m really close with his family and his brother is one of my best friends and I talk a lot with them.

“So I decided to take his old number on my shirt and I want to get good memories with this number.”

Van de Beek, who has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first signing of the summer transfer window.

 

 

AFP