Manchester United have had an impressive repertoire of Dutch players represent their club over the years. Some of the best Dutch players in Premier League history have played for the Red Devils, although the link between Old Trafford and the Netherlands stretches back further than that.
Midfield general Arnold Muhren played for United between 1982 and 1985. The Dutchman joined United from Ipswich Town in 1982, and as a player, he was a midfield general and a superb passer of the ball. He was not unfamiliar with finding the back of the net, either, and scored 15 goals for United.
Aside from Muhren, there are four truly iconic Dutch players to have represented the Red Devils. Jaap Stam was a hard-as-nails centre-back, who was at the heart of United’s defence as they won the treble in 1998/99. Ruud van Nistelrooy is one of the greatest strikers in United’s history and scored 150 goals in just 219 games.
After struggling to replace Peter Schmeichel in the years after he left, Edwin van der Sar came into the club to become the heir to his throne. The Dutchman kept 135 clean sheets in 266 games for the Old Trafford club. Finally, Robin van Persie scored 58 times in 105 games and had an instant impact on United’s Premier League fortunes. His phenomenal 26 goals in 38 games in his first season won United the league, straight after leaving Arsenal.
The Red Devils have recently been linked with another Dutch player who would be hoping to have a similar impact as his compatriots did at Old Trafford.
Man Utd target Dutch attacker
The player in question here is PSG and Netherlands’ versatile attacker Xavi Simons. The youngster spent last season loan at RB Leipzig, where he performed to an exceptional standard, and could now leave PSG.
That is according to a report from French news outlet L’Equipe. As per the report, United have contacted PSG over a potential deal for the 21-year-old. However, the Red Devils are not the only club who want to sign Simons, with L’Equipe reporting that Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are interested, too.
At this time, a loan is the only way out of PSG for Simons. This is thanks to a clause in his contract which would see former side PSV receive a large portion of any transfer fee. This expires in January of 2025.
How Simons compares to Bruno Fernandes
Last season, Simons put up some impressive numbers for Leipzig in the Bundesliga, playing 32 times, scouring eight goals and registering 13 assists along the way. He also notched up two goals and two assists in the Champions League.
Indeed, during his Champions League exploits, he performed superbly against Real Madrid in the Round of 16, and almost dragged his side through into the next round. It left Arsenal legend Ian Wright waxing lyrical on his podcast, explaining that Simons “was brilliant to watch”, before calling his performance “unbelievable”.
Should Simons join United, he could become the heir to the throne of United’s talisman and captain Bruno Fernandes. The Portugal international is in his prime and shows no sign of stopping, but planning forward is always helpful, and Simons could have a big role to play now and in the future, once Fernandes’ United career is over. Last season, United’s number eight scored 15 goals and registered 13 assists in 45 games in all competitions.
Statistically, Fernandes is better than Simons, however the drop-off is not very noticeable. The pair are both very creative players, who can have a major impact on a game from nothing. As per Fbref, the Dutchman averages 6.04 progressive passes per 90 minutes, compared to Fernandes’ 8.58. He averages only slightly fewer key passes with 2.68, whereas Fernandes plays 3.29 per 90.
Progressive passes
6.04
8.58
Key passes
2.68
3.29
Final third passes
3.46
5.40
Penalty box passes
2.24
2.57
One area where Simons excels is his ball carrying. He is a slick dribbler, and uses his low centre of gravity well, to change direction quickly and get away from defenders. He averages 5.12 progressive carries compared to Fernandes’ 2.49 per 90, and 4.51 carries into the final third, with the Portuguese averaging just 1.76.
The 21-year-old is a versatile player, who is able to operate anywhere across the front three, and as a number 10. It is certainly possible to fit both Simons and Fernandes into the same team, given the Netherlands international can play out wide, with the latter operating centrally.
In signing Simons, INEOS would be signing a player with “superstar potential”, as football analyst Ben Mattinson put it. While United's skipper still has many years at the top, thinking towards the future could be a smart move, and the Netherlands international might be the ideal candidate to replace him one day. Perhaps an initial loan move could subsequently lead to a permanent move happening.
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