VAN DE BLEAK

Ajax star off to Real for £46m after Reds chiefs pulled plug on cut price £20m deal

MANCHESTER UNITED target Donny van de Beek looks bound for Real Madrid – just months after the Reds backed out of signing the Ajax midfielder for just £20million.

Sunday Mirror Sport has learned that Van de Beek’s arrival at the Bernabeu in the summer is “more than 80 percent certain”, despite a desperate bid from

Old Trafford chiefs to snatch the Dutch star from under the noses of the Spanish giants this month.

Madrid have agreed to meet Ajax’s £46.8m valuation. Yet,

amazingly, United could have landed the 22-year-old for less than half the price before the start of the season.

Van de Beek’s agent Guido Albers held talks with United officials about securing a move to the Premier League.

But the deal went cold when United decided against cashing in on Madrid and Juventus target Paul Pogba.

United have now performed a U-turn after boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told his bosses that he needed reinforcements if he was to mount a challenge for the top four.

The Reds have lost Pogba (above) and Scott McTominay to injury.

But a source close to Van de Beek said: “It is now too late for United. It is more than 80 per cent certain that Van de Beek will complete a move to Real in the summer.

“The only hope for United is if Madrid pull out of the transfer.

“But, at this moment, the move is still scheduled to go through in the summer.”

Van de Beek currently earns around just over £25,000 a week at Ajax – and Madrid are ready to quadruple his wages.

The midfielder, who is a product of the Dutch club’s academy, was in the team that lost to United in the 2017

Europa League final.

He has been likened to Frank Lampard due to his eye for goal.

Van de Beek scored 12 times last season as Ajax landed a Dutch league and cup double and came within seconds of reaching the Champions League final.

He has found the target eight times in 24 appearances this term and will be part of Holland’s squad for this summer’s Euro finals.

Meanwhile, United have offered Birmingham City an eight-figure package for wonderkid Jude Bellingham.

The Old Trafford giants are at the forefront of the race to sign a 16-year-old midfielder, who has attracted attention from Europe’s biggest clubs.

Two clubs are understood to have made formal approaches for the boyhood Blues fan – and United is one.

The Blues are being offered a hefty downpayment with add-ons to take the bid over £12.5m.