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Ajax star can’t replace Christian Eriksen at Tottenham

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 30: Donny van de Beek of AFC Ajax during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax at at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 30, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 30: Donny van de Beek of AFC Ajax during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax at at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 30, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /
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Donny van de Beek can certainly help Mauricio Pochettino next season if he moves to Tottenham, but he won’t replace Christian Eriksen. 

Tottenham are preparing for a very active summer transfer window. It’s very possible that Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek could be one of Spurs’ most expensive purchases. Even if he does make the move to North London, Mauricio Pochettino can’t expect him to serve as a like-for-like replacement for Christian Eriksen.

The Daily Mail claims that Spurs are in “prime position” to strike a deal for van de Beek for £45 million. Tottenham are still competing with the likes of Bayern Munich and Dortmund to sign the 22-year-old midfielder, but the club’s quality relationship with Ajax may give a slight advantage to Spurs.

On the surface, this is just the sort of move Pochettino and company should be looking to make. Selling Mousa Dembele in January left the club short of quality midfield options. Van de Beek is certainly a player who could slot right into the club’s starting XI next season. His ability to provide goals and assists from the midfield would give Tottenham’s attack some much-needed versatility.

However, if Spurs expect him to come in and fill Eriksen’s shoes it will prove to be a serious mistake. Eriksen, of course, is being strongly linked with a massive transfer to Real Madrid this summer. If he does abandon Pochettino’s project at Tottenham, the club will need to reinvest every penny from his fee to strengthen the squad.

Signing van de Beek will strengthen the midfield, but he’s not ready to take over Eriksen’s role as Tottenham’s No. 10 next season. It’s going to take him time to adjust to the speed and quickness required to thrive in the Premier League. With all due respect to the Eredivisie, it’s not equal to England’s top flight when it comes to athleticism.

The right move for Spurs would be to deploy van de Beek as a classic midfielder for at least one season. That would provide him a little bit of time to adjust to life in England. It also happens to be the position he plays most often for Ajax. It’s worth noting that 28 of his 36 starts this year came from a classical midfield position as opposed to a more advanced role.

Next. Tottenham are inching towards a deal for Andre Gomes. dark

Buying van de Beek would certainly be a quality piece of business for Spurs this summer, but he’s not the right player to fill Eriksen’s void in the short-term. Pochettino will have to look elsewhere to find the right star to key his attack from the No. 10 position.

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